Life Magazines (London editions) August 2017 by Fish Media Group Ltd

HARRODS SALON DE PARFUMS EXPANSION

Still Life with Blue Fish Claude Venard (French 1913-1999) Oil on canvas, signed lower left Canvas size: 25.5 x 29.25 inches Framed size: 32.25 x 46 inches

FROM THE

EDITOR

he Concours of Elegance proclaims itself to be “the most exclusive car park in the world”; a typically understated label for one of the classiest and most incredible motoring events on the global calendar. The venue this year is the breath-taking grounds of Hampton Court Palace; a royal setting with its incredible history and beauty is the perfect pairing for the collection of rare automobiles set to arrive as part of the Concours this September. Call into Chiswick Auctions on a Tuesday morning and you will need to be quick to vie for a coveted chair in the main saleroom such is the number of people who are regularly in attendance. Featuring a weekly Interiors’ sale alongside dedicated specialist sales; the auction calendar is relentless and features everything from Jewellery to 20th Century Design, Fine Art to Designer Handbags & Fashion. Celebrate London’s architectural wonders as Open House London throws open the doors to some of the capital’s biggest, most renowned and most secret venues for free! This hugely popular, capital-wide annual festival of architecture celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2017, and is the first time all 33 London boroughs are taking part with over 800 buildings in the programme this year. After more than 50 years at the heart of London’s nightlife, during which Hollywood stars and royalty alike have descended under the striped canopy on Berkeley Square, Annabel’s is preparing to open the doors to its muchanticipated new home in a magnificent 18th Century, Grade One listed Georgian townhouse at 46, Berkeley Square – just two doors down from the original Club. Fasten your seat belts for a slide around The Shard! Two new virtual reality experiences have made their debut at The View from the Shard - on their open-air Skydeck on the 72nd floor of the tallest building in Western Europe!

Faye Manning Editor

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Editor Faye Manning ••••• Editorial Assistant Katie Miller ••••• Sub Editor Alex Lux ••••• Fashion Editor Rachel Gold ••••• Design & Production Lisa Wade ••••• senior business development manager Vanessa Lane ••••• ACCOUNT MANAGERS Nicola Drew Lisa Westerman Anita Hill ••••• Directors Rory Smith Patrick Smith

CONTENTS OUT & ABOUT

HOLIDAYS & TRAVEL

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

We put fantastic local businesses and exciting events in the spotlight each month, plus enjoy food and drink in the local area, investigate beautiful homes and read our independent schools guide Heading out of London to explore the rest of the world Fashion, health and beauty news to keep you looking and feeling your best

HOUSE & GARDEN

133

LUXURY FABRICS & FURNISHINGS GUIDE

163

LUXURY BATHROOM GUIDE

181

A collection of London’s finest interior companies

A collection of London’s finest furnishing companies Everything you need to create the perfect London bathroom

0844 800 8439

www.thelifemagazines.com

out & about â€“ We put fantastic local businesses and exciting events in the spotlight each month â€“ i m age : O P E N HOUS E LONDON

OUT & ABOUT

FOCUS/17

at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour • 360° design vision and influence at one event Trade preview: 17 – 19 September | All welcome: 20 – 22 September

THE DETAILS Focus/17 is a Design Destination at the London Design Festival. CONNECT • CONVERSE • CREATE Trade preview: 17 – 19 September 2017 All welcome: 20 – 22 September 2017 Open 10am – 6pm For more details visit www.dcch.co.uk

ocus/17 brings together the design world at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour for an impressive six-day event. Welcoming both trade and retail visitors, it provides a rare level of access inside the creative process of design, and the global talent behind it. With 120 Design Centre showrooms taking part, as well as outside participants in Chelsea, the inclusive event is all about sharing ideas, passions, inspirations and conversations with influencers, established makers, emerging innovators and luxury brands. Over 100 immersive events and experiences including talks, demonstrations, workshops, receptions and discovery tours will explore the fascinating journey, from concept to reality, of defining new season collections. Masters of their craft will showcase

techniques, skills and ingenuity up close. Sessions that speak to the senses are new benchmark, bringing an emotional connection in an increasingly fastpaced world. On the main stage, a stellar line-up of international speakers share their experiences at the authoritative Conversations in Design series. This fusion of design encounters, together with opportunities to connect with 600+ leading international brands, offers a dynamic collective unseen anywhere else. There will be fresh dining experiences from Tom’s Kitchen at the Tatler Restaurant, inventive pop-ups, floral displays by Tony Marklew and a specially commissioned aerial installation of reengineered paper by Cutture. There is courtesy transport and entrance is free.

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, London SW10 0XE @designcentrech #Focus17AtDCCH

Exhibitors ABBOTT & BOYD • ALTFIELD • ALTON-BROOKE • ARMANI/CASA • ARTE • ARTERIORS • ARTISANS OF DEVIZES • BAKER • BAKER LIFESTYLE • BELLA FIGURA • BESSELINK & JONES BIRGIT ISRAEL • BLACK & KEY • BRIAN YATES • BRUNSCHWIG & FILS • C & C MILANO • CECCOTTI COLLEZIONI • CHASE ERWIN • CHRISTOPHE DELCOURT AT GMR INTERIORS CHRISTOPHER HYDE LIGHTING • CHRISTOPHER PEACOCK • COLE & SON • COLEFAX AND FOWLER • COLONY • CREATION BAUMANN • CRESTRON EMEA • DAVID SEYFRIED LTD DAVIDSON • DE LE CUONA • DECCA (BOLIER) • DECORUS • DEDAR • EDELMAN LEATHER • ESPRESSO DESIGN • EVITAVONNI • FLEXFORM • FOX LINTON • FROMENTAL • FRONT RUGS GALLOTTI&RADICE • GEORGE SPENCER DESIGNS • GIORGETTI • GLADEE LIGHTING • GP & J BAKER • HOLLAND & SHERRY • HOULES • IKSEL – DECORATIVE ARTS • INTERDESIGN UK J. ROBERT SCOTT • JACARANDA CARPETS • JASON D’SOUZA • JIM THOMPSON • JULIAN CHICHESTER • JEAN MONRO • KRAVET • LACAZE LONDON • LEE JOFA • LELIEVRE PARIS LEWIS & WOOD • LIZZO • MARC DE BERNY • MARVIC TEXTILES • MCKINNEY & CO • MCKINNON AND HARRIS • MULBERRY HOME • NADA DESIGNS • THE NANZ COMPANY NINA CAMPBELL • NOBILIS • ORIGINAL BTC • PASSERINI • PAOLO MOSCHINO AT NICHOLAS HASLAM LTD • PHILLIP JEFFRIES • PIERRE FREY • POLIFORM • PORADA • PORTA ROMANA PROVASI • REMAINS LIGHTING ROMO • RUBELLI/DONGHIA • SA BAXTER ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE • SAHCO • SAMUEL & SONS • SAMUEL HEATH • SAVOIR BEDS • THE SILK GALLERY SIMPSONS • STARK CARPET • STARK FABRIC • STUDIOTEX • SUMMIT FURNITURE • SUTHERLAND PERENNIALS STUDIO • STYLE LIBRARY • SWD • TAI PING • THREADS AT GP & J BAKER TIM PAGE CARPETS • TIM PAGE X J.D. STARON • TISSUS D’HELENE • TOPFLOOR BY ESTI • TUFENKIAN ARTISAN CARPETS • TURNELL & GIGON • TURNELL & GIGON AT HOME TURNSTYLE DESIGNS • VAUGHAN • VIA ARKADIA (TILES) • VICTORIA + ALBERT BATHS • WATTS OF WESTMINSTER • WEMYSS • WEST ONE BATHROOMS • WHISTLER LEATHER WIRED CUSTOM LIGHTING • WOOL CLASSICS • ZIMMER + ROHDE • PLUS OUTSIDE PARTICIPANTS DESIGNERS GUILD AND OSBORNE & LITTLE IN CHELSEA

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OUT & ABOUT

All Aboard for Family Fun Families can play on real buses and trains and enter a world of make believe at London Transport Museum’s All Aboard play zone. Children can hop on a mini fleet of vehicles and dress up in uniforms to become drivers, mechanics, station announcers and river captains. Older kids will enjoy driving Tube train simulators and meeting costumed actors who bring the exhibits to life. There are also special family fun workshops taking place throughout the holidays.

SPECIAL OFFER Free treat in the Museum’s Upper Deck café Order any kids main meal and a cold drink for £6.00 and get a FREE ice cream or cupcake.

Be Safe Week 14 to 18 August

Workshops for families and a free stamper card trail Kids can have fun, meet safety experts and learn how to be safe at home, in public and when using public transport. They can learn directly from the Police, London Fire Brigade, RNLI Lifeboats, Transport for London’s School Liaison Officers and other agencies, and will collect a stamp from each team of experts they visit.

Junk Music 19 August to 3 September Creative Make and Take In collaboration with the Junk Orchestra, children and families can build musical instruments from around the world using everyday recycled household materials. Visit four rhythm stations which each have a different instrument. 11:00 and 14:00 – each activity lasts an hour. Suitable for ages 3 to 12.

“Kids can have fun, meet safety experts and learn how to be safe at home”

Junior Jamming session

Kids go free. Tickets on the door are priced at £17.50 for adults and £15.00 for concessions. Save money by booking tickets in advance online at www.ltmuseum.co.uk - £16.00 for adults and £13.50 for concessions Tickets allow unlimited daytime entry to all Museum galleries and temporary exhibitions for a whole year 14 AUGUST 2017

Join the Junk Orchestra jam. Make and compose music inspired by the wonderful illustrations in our Sounds of the City exhibition using your personalised musical instruments. 12:30 and 15:30 – sessions last approximately 30 minutes. All ages welcome. London Transport Museum is open daily and located in Covent Garden Piazza, WC2E 7BB. www.ltmuseum.co.uk

OUT & ABOUT

The LLondon Riviera ondon B ridge , S E 1 U

ntil the end of October the area around City Hall near Tower Bridge has been transformed into The London Riviera - London’s favourite pop-up bar and street food experience - open every day from 10am to 10pm. Inspired by the over-the-top beachfronts of Miami and the effortless chic of the French Riviera. Anyone wondering where to eat will find a haven in this riverside relaxation spot, all with stunning sundown views of Tower Bridge and the Thames. The London Riviera Pop Up serves up the very best in summer cuisine, sunny cocktails and cool beer, this is al fresco dining London partygoers will love! There is a jam packed schedule of live entertainment daily until 31 August including.. • DJ Club Nights • Comedy Nights • Swing Dancing and Classes with The Swing Patrol • Film screenings of The Lego Movie, Johnny English and Finding Nemo • Live screenings from the Royal Opera House • Live action from Wimbledon Championships 2017 on the giant screen! • Enjoy a Brazilian samba, dance and music spectacular with a 50 piece band

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“There is a jam packed schedule of live entertainment daily”

• An interactive street-style circus show by the Flying Seagulls Project. Welcome to the London Riviera! More London Riverside by City Hall, Tower Bridge , SE1 2AA. For the full listing of events visit www.thelondonriviera.com

OUT & ABOUT

HRH The Prince of Wales launches new Royal Parks charity About The Royal Parks Charity The Royal Parks is a charity to manage and fundraise for 5,000 acres of Royal parkland across London. The Royal Parks are Bushy Park, Richmond Park, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, The Green Park, St James’s Park, The Regent’s Park and Greenwich Park. The charity also looks after other important open spaces in London, including Grosvenor Square Garden, Brompton Cemetery, Victoria Tower Gardens and Canning Green. Every year 77 million visitors enjoy London’s eight Royal Parks for their unparalleled opportunities for enjoyment, exploration and healthy living in the heart of London. St Jasmes’s Park

ne of the UK’s largest conservation charities to be launched in recent years has been unveiled by its new patron, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. During a visit to London’s Hyde Park, the Prince formally launched The Royal Parks charity, which supports and manages 5,000 acres of Royal Parks stretching from Greenwich Park in the east to Bushy Park in the west. As part of his visit, the Prince saw the charity’s £5million flagship nursery project. The football pitch-sized glasshouse - currently under construction - will provide about 98 per cent of the 500,000 plants and shrubs needed across the capital’s eight Royal Parks. It also boasts a Wimbledon-style, climate controlled roof - the largest production greenhouse in the UK to use this innovative technology. The Prince also got to learn more about efforts by The Royal Parks to tackle diseases among its 170,000 trees, visit a giant story-telling snail as part of its £600,000 Mission: Invertebrate programme and ride a carriage pulled by two of the parks’ oldest shire horses, which usually provide education courses and manage grass and bracken. During a launch reception with staff, volunteers and apprentices, the Prince shared fond memories of visiting Richmond Park with his great grandmother, Queen Mary, and paid tribute to the “unsung and unseen” staff who look after London’s parks.

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He said: “The parks I remember as a very small child, being taken around Richmond Park with my great grandmother Queen Mary in her wonderful old, upright green Daimler. As a result, those parks, in particular Richmond Park, are imprinted on my childhood memory in a very special way, which is why I have always felt that children should have the opportunity to experience parks at a young age. I want to pay special tribute to all those who make these parks what they are. To all the marvellous staff who do all the hard work; grow all the plants; look after this new, swish, all singing, all dancing nursery, and of course all the volunteers and special people who give up their precious time to do so many of the tasks that are absolutely essential..” The new charity’s Chairman, lifelong arts and heritage enthusiast Loyd Grossman CBE, described how he was committed to ensuring the Royal Parks remain the finest parks in the world. He also welcomed HRH The Prince of Wales as the charity’s patron, saying: We are absolutely determined that these parks will always remain the best parks in the world for future generations. We are extraordinarily grateful to the Prince of Wales for becoming our first patron, and also for his tremendous knowledge and understanding of what we do, and we are thrilled, delighted and honoured that he is today launching our new charity. For further information please visit: www.royalparks.org.uk.

Registered charity number 1172042 The parks are owned by the Crown with their responsibility resting with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The Royal Parks charity manages the parks on behalf of the government.

OUT & ABOUT

Concours of Elegance Hampton Court Palace, 1-3 September 2017

The world’s rarest cars in one of the world’s most exclusive settings

all in one place. And, just like the palace itself, each car has a story to tell; the 1896 Arnold Benz Motor Carriage on display, for example, was the first car to ever receive a speeding ticket. The driver, Walter Arnold, was travelling 8mph in a 2mph zone and his car wasn’t preceded by a man on foot carrying a red flag – a legal requirement at the time. A policeman gave chase on his bicycle and fined Arnold for his recklessness. From 1922 is a Bentley 3 Litre, which was the first to ever race at the Le Mans 24 Hours race, kickstarting a run of wins for Bentley in 1924 and again in 1927 to 1930. Then there’s the Porsche

“The focal point is a gathering of more than sixty unique or extremely rare cars, many of which will never have been seen before in the UK”

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917K, famously driven in the Steve McQueen film, Le Mans, and winner of the Daytona 24 Hours and Monza 1000km races in 1971. The Le Mans 24 Hours theme continues with a celebration of Jaguar’s legendary 1-2-3-4-6 finish in 1957, securing the Jaguar D-Type a place in history

READER OFFER

Full day adult entry tickets to the Concours of Elegance cost £40 but readers can get £15 off by going to www.concoursofelegance.co.uk/ tickets and entering LIFEVIP. Alternatively, call 0844 338 0338, quoting LIFEVIP.

MORE INFORMATION One of the main aims of the Concours of Elegance is to raise money for charity, and this year’s event will be generating funds for Marie Curie and Springfield Youth Club Hackney. So far Concours of Elegance has raised more than £1,000,000 for its charities.

books and magazines, only to be discovered again in 2015, 60 years after it was first built. It’s been recommissioned to run again, but its appearance is key to this totally original car. There are, of course, plenty of modern masterpieces on display, too. In total, more than a thousand vehicles will enter the grounds of Hampton Court Palace from 1-3 September, including the very latest high performance rarities, including the Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato and Pagani Huayra. Founder of evo magazine and the Harry’s Garage YouTube channel, Harry Metcalfe, will be bringing together a collection of these incredible modern performance cars. Over the course of the weekend many of the vehicles on display will start their engines to drive through the grounds of the palace and up onto the all-new central stage. Visitors can experience the sights, sounds and smells of some of the most important cars ever produced, while a team of experts enlightens the audience as to what exactly makes these vehicles so special.

COMPETITION One reader can win a pair of VIP tickets to the Concours of Elegance for either Saturday 2nd September or Sunday 3rd September. The VIP experience includes a three-course lunch, Champagne reception, afternoon tea and preferred parking. TO ENTER: Send your contact details to competitions@fishmediagroup.co.uk quoting Concours of Elegance VIP in the subject box. A winner will be picked at random.

as one of the greatest racing cars ever. For the first time, the three podium-finishing D-Types will be gathered together at Hampton Court Palace, alongside two further D-Types with Le Mans history. Away from the world of motorsport, the Maserati A6G Gran Sport, complete with faded paintwork and dented panels, is maintained as a reminder of its past. Only four of these cars were ever built, and this particular example had been hidden away in a French barn under a pile of

AUGUST 2017 21

OUT & ABOUT

Caring for older people in the heat of summer W e all like to make the most of the sunshine in the summer, whether that’s by going for walks, having a picnic in the park or sitting in the garden with a glass of Pimms. At Barchester Healthcare’s London care homes, the story is the same, with residents and their guests keen to spend as much time as possible out on the terrace or in the garden. Barchester staff at their homes have seen first-hand the benefits of spending time outside for older people but also know the importance of supporting individuals to keep cool while they enjoy the sunshine and fresh air or take part in outdoor activities. Shaaron Caratella, General Manager at Queens Court Care Home situated in Queens Road, Wimbledon, said: “Whether in a care home or

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elsewhere, it’s vital that older people take care in extremely hot temperatures and cover up well when spending time outside. It’s essential to keep hydrated with plenty of water or diluted fruit juice and buying a stash of ice lollies to store in the freezer is a good idea too.” Paul Hart, General Manager at Wimbledon Beaumont care home said: “A good tip for the summertime is to avoid strenuous activities and limit things like housework and gardening to when it’s cool, like early morning or evenings.” Lynde House Care Home in Richmond is no exception. Alison McIntosh, General Manager at Lynde House said: “Residents love to spend time relaxing in the sunshine with a cool drink and there are some very keen gardeners who help keep everything looking great. As long as you take the right precautions, there is no better way to relax!” Why not pay your local home a visit to see their beautiful outdoor spaces and their stylish interiors.

“Residents love to spend time relaxing in the sunshine with a cool drink”

You can read more about Barchester’s London care homes at www.barchester.com

OUT & ABOUT

HAMLET IN THE 21st CENTURY In the West End, a brand new production of Shakespeare’s masterpiece is holding up the mirror to today’s society.

ollowing a sold-out run at the Almeida Theatre, Olivier Award-winning director Robert Icke’s new production of HAMLET is now playing in the West End for a limited season until 2 September. Starring BAFTA and Olivier Award winner Andrew Scott (Sherlock, Birdland, Cock, Pride) as the Danish Prince and Jessica Brown Findlay (Oresteia, Uncle Vanya) as Ophelia, HAMLET is brought to the stage by the critically acclaimed and multiaward-winning creative team behind 1984 and Oresteia. The production has been praised by critics for its fresh new interpretation of the text, winning a host of 5 star reviews from publications including

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“‘Shakespeare wants theatre to be a mirror up to nature, so it should be for the audience like looking into a mirror’”

the Financial Times, Metro, Time Out and The Observer. Henry Hitchings in the Evening Standard said that ‘Andrew Scott finds new paths through Hamlet’s soliloquies, dwelling on certain words as if caressing their edges. He makes the most famous speeches feel fresh and unpredictable.’ The sense of bringing the past into the present was an important part of the production for director Robert Icke and actors Andrew Scott and Jessica Brown Findlay. Robert Icke says ‘it should be for the audience like looking into a mirror. The whole gesture of it was about implicating the audience and present day politics, no matter how old the story.’ Andrew Scott adds that ‘the whole purpose of putting on plays is to hold a mirror up to nature and to show the age of the time, not yesterday.’ Jessica Brown Findlay highlights that Elsinore in this version reflects the surveillance society we currently live in. ‘Everyone is so observed. Every moment, every step is kind of filmed or captured, which we see during the show you know, there are places in the castle where you’re just filmed on CCTV.’ HAMLET is running for a strictly limited season – must end 2 September. Great seats available for performances in August. Book now for best availability at HamletWestEnd.com. HAMLET: Harold Pinter Theatre; Until 2 September 2017; Twitter: @HamletWestEnd

OUT & ABOUT

Kahn Design:

The World’s Leading Automotive Fashion House WORDS: George Phillips

riven by his passion for cars, in 1992 British Designer Afzal Kahn set out to give likeminded individuals the opportunity to transform their vehicles from everyday cars into fashion statements. At just 17 years old he was selling wheels and by 1996 he had designed his own; the iconic RS-R. As the first wheel designed with spokes that extended right to the edge of the rim, the RS-R was an instant classic. After flying to Italy to put his savings into manufacturing 1,000 of his wheels, Kahn knew he was on to something special. “I’d sold them before I landed back in Britain. I took two tiny adverts out – one in Top Car and the other in Auto Trader – and the phone rang off the hook. After that I knew it could work”. The RS-R was a huge success and so spotting a gap in the market, Kahn decided to create a new wheel, which at 22” was the largest available in the UK. These proved to be extremely popular in the luxury SUV market, in particular with Land Rover models, starting a lifelong affiliation with the brand. “I love Land Rovers and Range Rovers, I always have. I feel very privileged to be associated with such an iconic marque. My mantra is to ‘take the best that exists and refine it’ so in creating my designs, I take inspiration from the original styling cues and aim to produce something which is distinctive but remains true to the essence of Land Rover”. Once established as the go-to aftermarket Land Rover designers, the company latterly looked to add further brands to their portfolio, culminating in the establishment of the Chelsea Truck Company. Focusing on three iconic models, the Land Rover Defender, Jeep Wrangler and Mercedes G-Wagen, the Chelsea Truck Company’s vehicles are the ultimate blend of rugged ability and indulgent luxury. “Each car in the Chelsea Truck Company’s range is an icon of its homeland. I wanted to give customers who admired these vehicles, but were put

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off by their simplicity, the chance to enjoy them in a more refined form”. It is a formula that has seen Afzal Kahn maintain his position as one of Britain’s most notable automotive designers. Many firms have subsequently entered the market, hoping to mimic the brand’s success, but by staying ahead of the curve and setting the trends, rather than following them, the company continues to be seen as one leading automotive fashion house in Britain. The company’s designs are so popular that vehicle manufacturers themselves began to recognise the demand for bespoke versions of standard vehicles as customers looked to set themselves apart from others on the road. As such, many are creating in-house units who specialise in providing specially made versions of their standard models. However, rather than see this development as a threat, as a car lover Afzal Kahn welcomes a wider audience embracing individuality in automotive design. “More unique cars on the road can only be a good thing; as more and more customers look to add personal touches to their vehicles, we are well positioned to create original designs that complement rather than compete with what comes off the manufacturers’ production lines, so we are very excited about the future”. At the forefront of the industry for nearly two decades, the key to the company’s success is original creations, designed and built in-house; as a vertically integrated business it can ensure quality is never compromised. Furthermore, Mr. Kahn is a steadfast supporter of British industry, having been awarded for his significant investments in British manufacturing and design. “As a British brand we are proud to support other British companies. British manufacturing is, in my opinion, the best in the world and is synonymous with quality and innovation”.

Kahn Design’s commitment to British industry is probably best demonstrated by its Vengeance project, which saw the company create a fully coach-built supercar, made by hand traditional manufacturing methods. The company now sees coach-building as the future and has big plans to embark on ever bigger and bolder projects in the coming years. It has already built and sold a number of six wheeled trucks based on the Land Rover Defender, which has proved very popular amongst the enthusiasts who buy their vehicles. “As well and focusing on our core design business, we have big ambitions to bring back the lost art of coach-building. I have huge admiration for the skill and craftsmanship that it takes to create something fully coach-built and I would love to help bring it back to Britain” Such ambition is typical of Afzal Kahn and is the key factor setting him apart in the automotive design industry. Whilst others look to exploit market trends and jump on the next bandwagon, he is resolute in following his dreams and thinking of how best he can pay homage to the cars he loves. It is this tireless pursuit of his vision which has made him a true British success story.

OUT & ABOUT

FOUR FLOORS OF FUN AT T H E N AT I O N A L A R M Y M U S E U M

he National Army Museum in London has four floors of interactive fun in the permanent galleries - Soldier, Army, Battle, Society and Insight. The museum tells the story of the British Army, openly asking questions about its role and purpose. The whole family can explore its 2,500 objects and interactives. Soldier gallery looks at what it’s like to serve as a soldier, from joining-up and training to daily life and returning home. Here you can try out your marching skills with our interactive marching drill and crawl under a Dingo scout car, used by the army across the world for reconnaissance. Army gallery addresses fundamental questions such as ‘Why do we have an army?’ It explores the origins of the army in the chaos of the British Civil Wars, its major role in the political development of the country and its impact on global history. Don’t miss our display of British Army badges where you can create your own rubbing. Society gallery explores the army as a cultural and military force as its use in our everyday lives from toys, to games and films. You can also pop on a bearskin, don a red tunic and have a go at changing into one of the guards. Battle gallery demonstrates how the British Army fulfils its most challenging task - fighting battles. It covers the entire history of the army at war and there is even a chance to climb into an interactive lifesize tank. Insight gallery examines the many different

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“Soldier gallery looks at what it’s like to serve as a soldier, from joining-up and training to daily life and returning home”

countries and cultures the British Army has encountered and interacted with. It has been created with the help of British communities from around the world. On the ground floor, Play Base welcomes children aged zero to eight for fun and engaging activities in an immersive base camp. Inside Play Base, children can take part in an assault course, drive a Command liaison vehicle, get messy in the cookhouse and sort provisions in the quartermaster’s store. The baby area includes soft, padded space for the youngest visitors. Play Base sessions last an hour and cost £4.50 per child. Throughout the summer, families can discover engineering techniques and have a go at the construction challenge. Here children will transform spaces into different environments to explore how the army adapts to its surroundings. Drop in anytime between 10.15am and 4pm to take part in a free session. No booking is required. National Army Museum is free to enter. To plan your trip visit www.nam.ac.uk

OUT & ABOUT

UNDER THE HAMMER C

all into Chiswick Auctions on a Tuesday morning and you will need to be quick to vie for a coveted chair in the main saleroom such is the number of people who are regularly in attendance. Featuring a weekly Interiors’ sale alongside dedicated specialist sales; the auction calendar is relentless and features everything from Jewellery to 20th Century Design, Fine Art to Designer Handbags & Fashion. The very word auction retains an indomitable place in the nation’s imagination. Newspapers are filled with stories of rare finds at car boot sales which go on to fetch eye-watering prices at auction. A necklace recently sold in Chiswick Auctions’ jewellery sale for £26,840 including premium. The pearl, ruby and enamel piece was discovered by a workman forty years ago when it fell from the loft during a house clearance and was identified by the Jewellery department as being by the famous 19thcentury Italian goldsmith, Carlo Giuliano. Chiswick Auctions’ luxury departments including Jewellery, Watches and Designer Handbags have grown exponentially in recent years in line with the market for such products. With this in mind, September will see the auction house open a new South Kensington branch which will provide a central London access point for clients looking to buy and sell. As many canny readers will know, Christie’s South Kensington office closed this summer following the company leaving what is known in

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the auction world as the ‘middle market’. Now with many clients needing a new auction house through which to buy and sell items, Chiswick Auctions is filling the void offering a complete client service from start to finish. The company boasts 18 departments across a range of specialisms from Wine & Spirits to Ceramics & Glass, Silver to Oriental Rugs & Carpets. The new branch, located a stone’s throw from Christie’s South Kensington office, will provide an additional venue where people can receive free and confidential valuations as well as acting as a showroom for forthcoming sale highlights. Want to know what your Chanel handbag is worth or looking to invest in wine for your cellar? Come September you will be able to call in and meet with any one of Chiswick Auctions’ specialists many of whom are ex-Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams. The South Kensington showroom will provide both an interesting and exciting shop window to the company’s West London auction house offering a range of products with attractive estimates. 020 8992 4442; Chiswickauctions.co.uk

Above: A mother-of-pearl and onyx ‘Magic Alhambra’ necklace, by Van Cleef & Arpels Estimate: £2,000 - £3,000. Offered in September. Below: Hermes red Swift leather Birkin 35. Estimate: £5,000 - £8,000. Offered in September.

OUT & ABOUT

I spy with my little eye… double trouble! Can you catch Jack? Until 3rd September 2017

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ut your sleuthing skills to the test this summer at The London Dungeon, as you’re transported back to 1888 and the night of Jack the Ripper’s double

murder. Guests will need to keep their eyes sharp and their wits about them as they enter Dutfield’s Yard, the scene of Elizabeth Stride’s murder. The police officer at the scene will bring you up to date on the latest information. But The London Big Ticket puts visitors in control, the scene is rife with clues and offering great savings when you combine booking you have just a few minutes to any of the unmissable Merlin London attractions find the right ones to stop Jack including: the Coca-Cola London Eye, Madame Tussauds striking again… London, London Dungeon, SEA LIFE London, Shrek’s Beware as it looks like Adventure! London, the London Eye River Cruise and Jack was mid act and he may Big Bus tours. still be in the yard… is that footsteps you hear? This ticket offer means guests will be able to Elizabeth Stride was Jack’s visit a combination of these attractions from third victim. She was attacked £40 and best of all, you get to pick the attractions on 30th September 1888 – and to make up the offer. was the first of two murders that Visit www.londonbigticket.com evening. The evening was later for more information. dubbed ‘the night of the double murder’. Alongside the terrifying tale Jack the Ripper’s double murder, the experience brings to life 1,000 years of London’s dark history with ample amounts of jumps and scares thrown in. Stories of Sweeney Todd and his side kick Mrs Lovett, Guy Fawkes and the Plague Doctor will deliver the ultimate summer day out. The London Dungeon is a uniquely thrilling attraction that will whisk you way back to the capital’s most perilous past. Located on the South Bank close to Waterloo and Westminster station…you will see, hear, feel and (ahem) smell the chillingly amusing characters of the ‘bad old days’ as they come to life before you. Book ahead to avoid disappointment: www.thedungeons.com/london Tickets prices on the door £30.00 (adult), £24.00 (children), book in advance online to save up to 30%. Open seven days a week – times vary please check the website for the most up to date information

LONDON BIG TICKET

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Specialists in Hyperrealist Art

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OUT & ABOUT

36 AUGUST 2017

Family fun at Bocketts Farm Park

22nd July – 3rd September 2017

njoy a great day out at Bocketts Farm this summer with a full programme of fun activities! Children will enjoy the Animal Passport Trail as they collect stamps from around the farm. Other daily activities include pony rides, tractor rides, gold panning, animal handling, goat milking and the famous pig racing. In addition, the Small Animal Village and Big Animal Barn are open where you can meet and feed all of the friendly farm animals. Plus, don’t miss the brilliant Water Wars Splash Zone, which involves launching water filled balloons at your opponent’s station – great fun for all ages! With 2 large indoor play barns, trampolines, young driver’s area, sandpits, pedal go-karts, treehouse towers and 2 giant jumping pillows, there’s plenty to keep the whole family amused. www.bockettsfarm.com

AUGUST 2017 37

OUT & ABOUT

Not enough hours in the day? You need a lifestyle and home assistant

s our lives get busier it’s hard to find the time, or the inclination, to work your way through all those tasks you just haven’t had the time to do. This is why you need Nicky at The Finicky Friend. It might be that you need help with the day-today chores like decluttering your home, organising paperwork, doing the shopping or even watering the plants while you are on holiday – and yes, The Finicky Friend can organise that for you too! You may need help planning family celebrations, finding the perfect restaurant for a particular occasion or organising a dinner party. The Finicky Friend offers a bespoke service giving you the help you need so you can use your precious time to do the things you enjoy. If you are looking to re-decorate your property, Nicky can help source the relevant trades/materials and suppliers as well as co-ordinate the project to

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make it as stress-free for you as possible. And if you or a relative needs help and support after ill health - Nicky can organise crucial appointments, run errands or just check in on you whilst you get yourself back on your feet. With a career in graphic design, Nicky is used to taking briefs and delivering projects on time and on budget – all skills that can be applied to our everyday lives. Nicky loves a challenge, is hardworking and trustworthy so you can be confident your requirements will be in safe hands. Nicky is based in SW London and covers Kew, Richmond, Barnes, Chiswick, Wandsworth, Battersea, Twickenham and their surrounding areas. Call The Finicky Friend now to arrange a free consultation. Tel: 07841 583 224; Email: nicky@ thefinickyfriend.co.uk; www.thefinickyfriend. co.uk

“It might be that you need help with the day-to-day chores like decluttering your home, organising paperwork, doing the shopping or even watering the plants while you are on holiday”

OUT & ABOUT

Open House London 16th & 17th September 2017

elebrate London’s architectural wonders as Open House London throws open the doors to some of the capital’s biggest, most renowned and most secret venues for free! This hugely popular, capital-wide annual festival of architecture celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2017, and is the first time all 33 London boroughs are taking part with over 800 buildings in the programme this year. Enjoy free access to more than 800 museums, public buildings, private houses, schools and offices, and join tours, guided walks and activities throughout the weekend. Explore iconic buildings that are not usually open to the public, learn something new about more familiar spaces, and step into the private homes of the rich and famous. Open House will be a unique opportunity to see, explore and learn about amazing architecture and design in your area and across London over one weekend.

“Enjoy free access to more than 800 museums, public buildings, private houses, schools and offices” 40 AUGUST 2017

Highlight buildings of the 2017 event include: • 10 Downing Street • 30 St Mary Axe (aka the Gherkin) • BT Tower • Leadenhall Building (aka Cheesegrater) • New Scotland Yard • Foreign & Common Wealth Office • HM Treasury, celebrating their centenary this year • Custom House • The Shard • One Blackfriars • Barbican

Admission is free to all Open House events, but many venues and tours require advance booking or entry into a public ballot. Activities for kids and families, from architectural model-making to quiz trails as part of Open House Junior Rory Olcayto, Open-City’s new Director “Open House gives Londoners the chance to explore the city’s great buildings and places that are usually off-limits. From super-contemporary private homes to super-tall skyscrapers as well as hidden gems you didn’t know where there, nothing is off-limits during this celebrated, annual weekend festival.” Full details of buildings and events have been published in the 2017 Guide, website listings and Open House app. www.openhouselondon.org.uk; @openhouselondon

OUT & ABOUT

SIR RAY DAVIES TO HEADLINE BBC PROMS IN THE PARK 2017 Saturday 9 September, Hyde Park

Leading England’s celebrations of the world-famous Last Night of the Proms, BBC Proms in the Park returns with a host of the world’s leading artists.

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egendary singer-songwriter and The Kinks frontman, Sir Ray Davies will headline this year’s event. 50 years since the release of “Waterloo Sunset”, and having recently released a new solo album, Americana, his first for a decade, Sir Ray remains a true icon of British song-writing – his appearance follows his knighthood in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to the arts. Sir Ray is joined by leading soloists including bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, singer and actress Elaine Paige and 1970s sensation Gilbert O’Sullivan, as well as two of the UK’s most iconic pop groups; Steps and Texas, who provide early evening entertainment alongside a performance from the cast of Five Guys Named Moe. The celebration of musical theatre continues with a performance of jazz legend Louis Jordan’s irresistible hits from cast members of Clarke Peters’ Oliver and Tony award-winning musical, Five Guys Named Moe. In a brand new production, 27 years after it was first seen, Underbelly Productions brings this smash-hit West End and Broadway musical to the Hyde Park stage for renditions of songs from the show. Presenter Michael Ball returns to the Hyde Park stage to lead the evening’s festivities as he continues the annual presenting legacy begun by the late Sir Terry Wogan. Tony Blackburn gets this year’s party under way, introducing Steps, Texas and Five Guys Named Mo from 5pm-7pm, and the evening is underpinned by the forces of the BBC Concert Orchestra under conductor Richard Balcombe.

Proms in the Park is Britain’s largest outdoor classical music event and part of the annual spectacular culmination of two months of musicmaking at the BBC Proms, as the world-famous Last Night celebrations spill out from London’s Royal Albert Hall and thousands of people come together at venues across the UK to be part of the magic of the Last Night.

“Proms in the Park is Britain’s largest outdoor classical music event” Proms in the Park fans across the UK can tune in to the concert live on BBC Radio 2 and highlights of the Proms in the Park celebrations around the UK will be included as part of the coverage on BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Radio 3. On the night, audiences to the BBC Red Button can see a curated offering of highlights from all four Proms in the Park venues, available for 30 days thereafter on BBC iPlayer. A special Proms in the Park highlights programme will be broadcast at a later date on BBC Four. For full details of the 2017 BBC Proms season please visit: bbc.co.uk/proms. Tickets for Proms in the Park cost £44 (booking fees apply) and are on sale now via See Tickets and the Royal Albert Hall on 0845 401 5040 and in person at the Royal Albert Hall Box Office (booking fees apply).

OUT & ABOUT

Only for The Brave. A

t first glance one would be forgiven for thinking this exhibition is all about Belinda. For each portrait, is indeed a self-portrait. However, the significance of the title is that ‘Theatre of One’ is exactly that. No film crew, no lighting expert, no make up artist, prop nor wardrobe stylist and, more significantly, no model. Where other subjects are involved they are real people Belinda has stumbled across in coffee shops or on the street. People who fit with the vision. Normal people whom she then takes on, guides and directs. This is her passion, raw talent in raw landscapes. Belinda is unassisted in the gritty world of urban settings and the wild landscapes of reality. All is and was, as you see it. An authentic shot of a very real moment from a very real vision, recreated entirely by herself. Look carefully at her hands and you can see the evidence of this in the form of a remote air control, clicking the shutter as she finally steps in. Make of it what you will. Belinda works entirely alone in private introspection. Any hour of the day and night that suits her cause. Easy as it may be to take a separate model, dressed, made up and waiting to jump into shot, this goes against her rational. The significance of this is in the message that is perpetuated between self and image: loneliness; independence but most importantly strength and self-sufficiency. Far from being “all about me’ it is symbolic and necessary for the method and backdrop to complement and reflect this ethos. To feel utterly alone in every which way. Either in the context of the theme and sympathetic illustration of this theme, or emotionally as a woman, wife, mother or mere human being. Hence this theme of independence and isolation shows strength and vulnerability. A strength that is not diluted by having assistants, models or crew. A vulnerability that is strength and not a weakness. Every prop, every location, every innovative idea, style even shutter speed has been carefully honed to collectively express this. And to evoke in us, an emotive response that too is entirely individual and that makes us think. And there is plenty to think about. Tacit historical and Biblical references may or may not exist as you wander through this subjective private viewing. On the other hand if it is form that you are thinking about then dimension and proportion will be key. As we are drawn into each image we are being asked palpable and possibly uncomfortable questions too about whom we are. We do have a choice though; we need not go there. As you look you can walk by and enjoy, or you might go out of your comfort zone, scratch the

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surface a little deeper and address what it stirs in you? Only the brave will truly look into and evaluate the image. For those who don’t think, and those who think but don’t want to, what will they see? Uncomfortable viewing maybe for anyone shy of seeing it as mirror or a question about where they might or might not fit in. Perhaps by doing this, Belinda has worked through a personal inner journey in her search for meaning and intrinsic peace, looking for answers. Creativity is, after all, the solution to a restless soul. For others who perhaps do not understand it then let’s presume they are driven by knowledge in their lives. Knowledge is, after all the enemy of creativity. Creativity requires us to work something out and find a solution. Which one are you? Hazel Englander

Belinda Wilson Theatre Of One Photographic Exhibition

La Galleria Pall Mall 30 Royal Opera Arcade London SW1 4UY 16th - 21st October 2017 10 am - 6pm www.theatreofone.com

OUT & ABOUT

London as you’ve

never seen it before!

asten your seat belts for a slide around The Shard! Two new virtual reality experiences have made their debut at The View from the Shard - on their open-air Skydeck on the 72nd floor of the tallest building in Western Europe! Visitors can test their nerves up to 800ft above the city on ‘The Slide’ an adrenaline-fuelled 360-degree virtual reality experience. Guests ‘slide’ around its peak on a simulated helter skelter at speeds of 100mph along imaginary open-air tubes that corkscrew around the skyscraper – all via a curved platform which moves around beneath them during the two-minute ride. The second ‘Vertigo’ allows visitors to really face their fear of heights! This virtual adventure sees the building fall away, leaving you suspended in the air, walking across The Shard’s early infrastructure and balancing on scaffolding of the stripped back construction of Western Europe’s tallest building. Romeo the fox - The View from The Shard’s mascot that represents the intrepid real fox who was discovered on level 72 during construction of the building - also makes an appearance as guests take instructions from the construction sites foreman. Both exhilarating experiences heighten the sensation by blowing fresh air at the guest during their session. Patrick Allen, CEO of The View from The Shard said, “As the tallest attraction in the UK, we are always looking for new ways to offer exciting and innovative experiences for our visitors. The consumer technology space has been an area we’ve been keen to explore for a while and we are excited to be working with the design companies behind the VR, Happy Finish and INITION to introduce these two new adventures to the attraction’s visitors”

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THE DETAILS Only suitable for ages 12+, further restrictions may apply. A virtual reality experience can be unsuitable for people with certain ailments or conditions. A waiver outlining these conditions must be read and signed prior to using the experiences. In the event of heavy rain or storms, the VR experiences will be unavailable. The VR experiences are available daily from 10am-10pm and are subject to queues, so early arrival is advised to avoid disappointment. Tickets are available to book online at www.theviewfromtheshard.com

OUT & ABOUT

introducing the jaguar e-pace T he Jaguar E-PACE is a five-seat compact SUV that packs the design and performance of a Jaguar sports car into a spacious, practical and connected allwheel-drive vehicle. The E-PACE is the newest member of Jaguar’s SUV family following Jaguar’s first all-electric SUV, the I-PACE Concept and the World Car of the Year-winning F-PACE performance SUV. The exterior design is inspired by the F-TYPE sports car and is characterised by the distinctive Jaguar grille, muscular proportions, short overhangs and powerful haunches. Optional 21-inch alloy wheels give the E-PACE a bold and purposeful stance, instantly communicating dynamic agility. Jaguar sports car DNA is also evident in the fast sweep of the roofline and the distinctive side window graphic. “Established Jaguar design principles ensure the E-PACE is immediately recognisable as the sports car of its class. Our new compact SUV combines the interior space, connectivity and security that families expect with the kind of proportions, purity of design and performance not usually associated with such a practical vehicle.” – Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar The E-PACE will be one of the most connected and intelligent vehicles in its class. The nextgeneration touchscreen infotainment system connects customers to their favourite apps, such as

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Spotify through Jaguar Land Rover’s InControl apps. Digital connectivity can be found throughout the cabin, ready for every need of the modern family. There are up to four 12-volt charging points and five USB connections as well as a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot for up to eight devices. Every E-PACE features the latest generation of Jaguar’s Touch Pro infotainment system. Natural voice control technology, a 10-inch touchscreen interface and a customisable home screen make interactions with the system quick, simple and highly intuitive. Under the bonnet, E-PACE features a choice of efficient yet powerful Ingenium petrol and diesel engines. The 300PS Ingenium petrol turbo engine powers E-PACE from 0-60mph in just 5.9 seconds (6.4 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint) before reaching an electronically-limited top speed of 151mph. For customers who want the ultimate efficiency, the front-wheel drive 150PS Ingenium diesel delivers CO2 emissions of 124g/km. “The E-PACE provides the best of both worlds: Jaguar sports car dynamics with compact SUV practicality. The latest addition to the PACE family provides comfort, interior space and clever stowage solutions allied to engaging handling and Jaguar Land Rover’s latest Ingenium petrol and diesel engines.” – Alan Volkaerts, Vehicle Line Director, Jaguar E-PACE

THE DETAILS

The new Jaguar E-PACE starts at £28,500, and is a five-seat, compact SUV that packs the design and performance of a Jaguar sports car into a spacious, practical and connected all-wheeldrive vehicle. The E-PACE is available to order now at Lookers Jaguar showrooms located in Amersham and West London

The new E-PACE will be available to view with our Virtual Reality experience at Lookers Jaguar showrooms in August, with a chance to see the new model in the metal in October 2017. For more information on the new E-PACE and to view our latest finance offers visit lookersjaguar.co.uk

OUT & ABOUT

SEVEN DIALS SPOTLIGHT A FREE OPEN-AIR MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL S

Saturday 19 August 2017

potlight returns for the fourth time to London’s shopping and dining destination, Seven Dials with a free one-day music and performance festival. From 12-6pm the area will be transformed into a traffic-free, entertainment hot spot where visitors can enjoy a series of live performances as well as exclusive activities and promotions in over 95 brands and restaurants. The open-air stage will showcase an impressive line-up of performances - including Disney’s smash

“The area will be transformed into a traffic-free, entertainment hot spot where visitors can enjoy a series of live performances as well as exclusive activities and promotions”

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hit West End Musicals The Lion King and Aladdin, a 50 piece indie choir Some Voices, British pop singer Whinnie Williams and 2017 Glastonbury performers, Old Dirty Brasstards, and a live DJ set by House & Garage Orchestra. The main stage will be hosted by presenter and fashion aficionado Laura Jackson recognised for her hugely successful Jackson and Levine supper club. The festival also includes chill out areas, free ice creams, free glitter face art from The Glitter Box, GIF photo booth, live music on additional stages from Ibiza Sax and Bongos Duo Matt Early and Paul Hardcastle, burlesque performances from cabaret restaurant Circus and acoustic sets from London four-piece band Version. All to be enjoyed on the pop-up summer lawn around the dial complete with deck chairs. Earlham Street will be hosting a pop-up bar where there will be free Fizz cocktails from Monmouth Kitchen. In between performances, visitors can shop at the many independent boutiques and flagship stores offering exclusive in-store discounts and promotions. Brands include Benefit, Caudalie, Club Monaco, Coco de Mer, Dinny Hall, Fred Perry, Miller Harris, Ollie Quinn, Office and Skinny Dip. Re-fuel at one of the many top restaurants hosting al-fresco dining with cuisines from around the world. From Portuguese specialists Canela, pizza and cocktail enthusiasts Escapologist, award winning macarons at Pierre Herme’s indulgent garden, all day dining menu at Balans Soho Society, cold brew coffee at award-winning café Timberyard and sourdough pizza from Rossopomodoro. All you need for a perfect summers day out in London with family and friends, Seven Dials Spotlight is a free event not to be missed. Visit www.SevenDials.co.uk for more informationand follow @7DialsLondon for live updates.

OUT & ABOUT

TRIBAL ART LONDON 2017

6-9 September, Mall Galleries, London SW1

ribal Art London opens at Mall Galleries, SW1 next month marking its tenth year with a record 23 exhibitors. In 2007, London gallerist Bryan Reeves brought together several like-minded dealers from the international tribal art scene to create the UK’s first-ever specialist event in this field. Indigenous and tribal art and artefacts, no longer the preserve of museum curators and ethnographers, have emerged as an important element of today’s art market. Tribal Art London is the UK’s most important focal point for collectors, and has stamped its mark on the international fair circuit by offering an exciting diversity of works for sale, as well as hosting lectures and talks on many subjects relating to indigenous cultures. Tribal Art London is now an established precursor to Parcours des Mondes Paris, and attracts dealers, museum curators and private buyers from across the globe. Regular visitors include Sir David Attenborough. For 2017 the Fair is introducing a day of lectures and events revolving around the history and development of tribal tattoos, including a talk by Dr Karen Jacobs of the University of East Anglia. Martin Poole, an expert in the technique of hand tapped tattoos, will be giving live demonstrations. Other popular forms of body modification within

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Top left David Malik Mukudj dance mask Punu people, Gabon

Centre Marcuson & Hall A 20th century burnished terracotta pot Nyoro tribe, Uganda. Ht: 23cms

Top right David Malik Nkisi power figure Songye people, Democratic Republic of Congo

Don’t miss some of the fascinating talks at the Fair, which are free to attend; details on the website

tribal communities such as earplugs, lip plates and scarification will be included in the talks. Visitors will find many related items on view and for sale at the fair. New exhibitors at Tribal Art London 2017 include Frans Faber (The Netherlands) with fine tribal arts from Indonesia, Oceania and Africa; Mark Eglington (New York); John-Paul Raad (London) with art of the Niger River region; and Emmanuel Amelot of Belgium. They join regulars such as Joss Graham (London) with traditional textiles & costume, sculpture, ceramics, baskets and jewellery; Sam Handbury-Madin (UK) a young dealer with a fascination for tribal works from every culture; Louis Nierijnck (NL) with tribal art, textiles & adornment from Africa, the Himalayas & South East Asia; Marcuson & Hall (Brussels), with a particular interest in fibre works and textiles from Asia and Africa; Raccanello Tribal Art (UK) with Polynesian art, and Charles Vernon-Hunt (UK) specialist in tribal art books. The UK Organisers of Tribal Art London are Adam Prout of Adam Ethnographic Art, with tribal art and artefacts from all regions of the globe, and Bryan Reeves of Tribal Gathering, expert in African tribal art and adornment. Entry to the Fair is free. For opening times and further information visit www.tribalartlondon.com

English Gold no.11 Gold leaf, oils and acrylic on canvas - 180 x 160cm £12,000

North westerly no.5 Oil and acrylic on canvas - 204 x 108cm £7,000

MICHAEL SOLE FINE ART I paint from nature using a method I call Involuntarylism. Nature is a broad subject matter, yet I have homed in and focused on the parts that inspire me to experiment with materials and processes that not only interest me and produces original paintings, but completely satisfies me and highlights who I am as a person. The concept behind my paintings completely relies upon the idea of involuntary mark making. How the

materials react with one another and how I go about applying them to the canvas. With this concept in mind, nature, with its natural geometry, is the perfect subject as a base to experiment from. The idea of involuntarylism is allowing the paints characteristics and gravity to produce the marks, creating organic patterns, atmosphere and substantiation, allowing the painting to have a life of its own. As all my paintings are made on the floor, Involuntarylism is subject to me ‘puppeteering’ the paint, using gravity and built up knowledge of the

materials and past experiences, to create the painting. The artist’s involvement is purely to manipulate the paint, canvas, colours and consistencies so as to exaggerate as strongly as possible the resulting organic textures and marks. The image is starting to take more of a back seat role in my practice. Without the pressures of the image I can develop, push and explore the more interesting parts of my work and become more involved in the materials and processes which I think better replicate nature than image ever will.

web: www.michaelsole.co.uk • instagram: @michaelsoleart

Jennifer Watt Sculpture

Jennifer is nationally known for her elegant bronze and resin figures, many of which celebrate women and motherhood. Her distinctive style developed after winning a Royal Glasgow Institute prize which involved going to France. While there she became fascinated by human shadows. “I started to take photographs of people’s shadows, and really noticed how they reduce their forms to such an elegant simplicity,” she said. Jennifer’s sculptures, which can be found in homes and gardens across the UK and far beyond, can each take two months to design and create. After the initial sketches, she creates an armature from metal rods. This “skeleton” is the covered in clay and a mould is created for the resin or the molten bronze. Once the casting is complete the sculpture is patinated to achieve the desired final texture and colour. Jennifer’s figures are highly stylised and often tall and slender, with the women frequently wearing the small hat which is a trademark of her work.

Jennifer Watt, Burnhead House, Burnhead, Thornhill, Dumfries & Galloway DG3 4AD www.jenniferwatt.co.uk • wattsculpture@gmail.com • Tel 01848 331524 • Mobile 07933758541

OUT & ABOUT

To find out more about the new Velar or to arrange a test drive contact Lookers Land Rover in Battersea or West London or visit www.lookerslandrover.co.uk

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OUT & ABOUT

The World’s most iconic nightclub relocates A

fter more than 50 years at the heart of London’s nightlife, during which Hollywood stars and royalty alike have descended under the striped canopy on Berkeley Square, Annabel’s is preparing to open the doors to its much-anticipated new home in a magnificent 18th Century, Grade One listed Georgian townhouse at 46, Berkeley Square – just two doors down from the original Club. The Club will offer an all day and all night experience, opening 21 hours of the day – and will include restaurants, bars, private dining rooms and a cigar salon, spread across four spacious floors for Members to work, dine and entertain their guests. The nightclub will be located in the basement of the townhouse and will pay homage to the decadent essence and abundant energy of the original Annabel’s. Outside on the terrace, an enchanting restaurant garden will offer year-round dining. The garden leads to a health and wellbeing spa, which will be discreetly housed in the refurbished mews house with its own separate entrance. Founded in 1963 Annabel’s has built a global reputation as the most elegant and private Club in the world. Over the years the Club has welcomed Members and their guests including royalty, recording stars such as Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles and Hollywood greats including Jack Nicholson, Elizabeth Taylor and Leonardo DiCaprio, to name just a few. This extraordinary venue at 46 Berkeley Square is set to open its doors later this year and the original 56 AUGUST 2017

Club will close just before the new Club opens. They will continue to welcome illustrious Members, drawing upon the next generation, affirming Annabel’s legacy as the most exclusive private Members’ Club in the world. Membership for the new Club is by invitation only and the waiting list is open. New candidates for membership will require a proposer and seconder and election will be strictly by Committee. Existing Annabel’s members will not require a proposer or seconder but election will remain subject to strict Committee approval. Of the thousands who have already registered interest in Membership, the First 100 were sent out earlier this year and accepted.

Annabel’s, 46 Berkeley Square, London W1J 5AT. For all membership enquiries please email membership@annabels.co.uk or call 020 3879 9146; www.annabels.co.uk

OUT & ABOUT

Magnum teams up with Moschino for Pleasure Store pop-up

uxury ice cream brand Magnum has opened the gates to a haven of chocolate and ice cream indulgence in London’s stylish Seven Dials. The store has been designed by and launched by fashion guru Jeremy Scott, Creative Director of Moschino and is adorned with his MagnumXMoschino bag collection - as well as a bespoke ice cream curated by Jeremy himself. With Jeremy Scott on board, the pop-up has been designed in bold Moschino style, with the brand teaming up with Magnum for a wider ‘Release the Beast’ campaign. Featuring Cara Delevingne, the brand dares ice cream fans to release their wild side, empowering them to seize the day and take that extra dose of indulgence that only a Magnum Double could offer. Would you ‘Dare to go Double’ with doubledipped Magnums with two layers of deliciously

decadent chocolate, a luxurious layer of sauce and a selection of over 20 tempting toppings - including black lava sea salt and blackberry crunch….of course you would! Customers to the pop-up which runs to 10 September, can embark on a pleasurepacked experience, personalising their own Magnum creations - choosing their ice cream, the colour of their chocolate, plus sprinkles and sauces – designing a very Instagram-friendly (& delicious) bar to eat. Each individual creation will be perfected with a drizzle of chocolate and the finishing touch; a classic M coin decoration with prices starting from £5.50. This is not the first time Magnum has partnered with a fashion house; almost three years ago the brand collaborated with Dolce & Gabbana for a limited-edition designer inspired ice-cream line. Magnum’s luxury London pop-ups have always been a massive hit – so we can’t wait to get my hands on one…who’s ready to dip?

THE DETAILS The Magnum X Moschino Pleasure Store is located in London’s Seven Dials at 21-23 Earlham Street, London, WC2H 9LL Sunday 10am – 6pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 10am – 7pm Thursday 10am – 10pm Friday 10am – 9pm Saturday 10am – 10pm

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OUT & ABOUT

CALLING ALL TEQUILA LOVERS! George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Michael Meldma’s award-winning Casamigos Tequila

InterContinental® London

On 17th August, the ultra-premium tequila that is “brought to you by those who drink it” – will be taking over The O2’s breath-taking Eighteen Sky Bar for one night only.

he evening from 7pm – 1pm, will be hosted on the 18th floor of InterContinental London – The O2 in the stylish and sophisticated Eighteen Sky Bar, a rooftop space boasting far reaching views across London’s iconic skyline, that offers the perfect setting to enjoy a tequila…or two. Live jazz & swing music from Jojo & Band will also be playing throughout the evening to help guests get into the spirit. Eighteen Sky Bar will be undergoing a Mexican makeover for guests to enjoy. On offer will be an array of tantalising tequila cocktails – including the playfully named Cuarta Raiz (with Casamigos Blanco, lime juice, Cointreau, Re’al ginger syrup and lemongrass) and Especia de la Casa (with Casamigos Añejo, vermouth, chilli liquor, angostura bitters and orange bitters) – all carefully curated by a team of leading mixologists and Casamigos Tequila’s very own UK Ambassador Sam Plummer. To help further festivities, guests will be treated to a selection of complementary Mexican finger food and light bites including traditional nachos, refreshing ceviche, chimichangas and taquitos to name a few. Created by long-time friends George Clooney, Rande Gerber, and Michael Meldman, Casamigos was launched into the UK in March 2015. Casamigos is named after Gerber and Clooney’s houses in Mexico, and roughly translates to “House of Friends.” Tequila-filled nights with friends is how Casamigos was born. Casamigos was originally created out of Clooney and Gerber’s desire to enjoy the best-tasting,

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smoothest tequila and was always intended for personal use, to be shared with family and friends. Since the conception of the brand, Casamigos Tequila has received a host of globally recognised awards and accolades, and is currently distributed in over 20 countries including the US, Canada, UK, Ibiza, Australia, Hong Kong and the Bahamas. www.casamigostequila.com Instagram - @casamigos Facebook - Casamigos Tequila Twitter - @casamigos Pinterest - @casamigos Snapchat - @casamigos

InterContinental® London – The O2 is a luxury hotel featuring 453 spacious guest rooms and suites, five destination-inspired bars and restaurants and a state-of-the-art spa. The world famous entertainment venue - The O2, adjoins the hotel via a direct walkway. Located on the 18th floor is the stylish and sophisticated Eighteen Sky Bar, a rooftop space boasting far reaching views of London’s iconic skyline. Guests can enjoy a cocktail menu inspired by spice, herbs and botanicals alongside a full range of local and international craft beers, specialist wines, spirits and Champagne against the glittering backdrop of Canary Wharf, the City of London and the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The bar also features an in-built dance floor and a terrace and can be hired exclusively for private parties and special events for up to 185 guests. 1 Waterview Drive, Greenwich Peninsula SE10 0TW www.iclondon-theo2.com Twitter: @intercontheo2 Instagram: intercontheo2 Facebook: InterContinental London – The O2

OUT & ABOUT

BBCreturns Good Food’s Feast to Hampton Court Palace 26 – 28 August 2017

fter three successful summers at Hampton Court Palace, the BBC Good Food Festival returns this year with a highly appropriate new name: BBC Good Food’s Feast. The festival will be held in the spectacular gardens of the former home of notorious foodie, King Henry VIII for three fabulous days over the August Bank Holiday Weekend. Hosted in partnership with independent charity Historic Royal Palaces, Feast offers a great selection of delicious artisan producers, a stellar line up of chefs and experts, fabulous entertainment, family fun and great live music. It’s guaranteed to delight even the most committed foodie. A highlight of the event will undoubtedly be the 300 seat Feast Kitchen theatre, which will play host to some of the biggest names in food. Join John Torode, Lisa Faulkner and Michelin master Michel Roux Jr as they cook up a selection of summer dishes live on stage. Meanwhile, over on the ‘Let’s talk about food’ stage, fans will be able to discover the secrets of their favourite chefs’ success as they share top tips and tales from their life in the kitchen, before taking questions from the audience. There’ll even be the chance for visitors to get some of their favourite cookbooks signed. Once guests have worked up an appetite they can shop from over one hundred hand-picked artisan producers and companies and pick up tasty picnic treats to enjoy against a backdrop of one of Britain’s most historic buildings. Throughout the weekend, fantastic live music on the bandstand will provide the perfect summer soundtrack, with the sassy trio of singers The Polka Dots, hits from The Jersey Guys and six-piece super-band Quieter Handful. 62 AUGUST 2017

With Hampton Court Palace deckchairs – each of which bears a character from the palace’s past – dotted around the garden, it’s the perfect place to soak up the Festival atmosphere. There’ll be plenty of entertainment for families too, with live circus show performances, circus skills workshops, face painting, Tudor cookery and even the chance to meet a pair of Shire horses and find out more about these gentle giants from their handlers. With free entry to the palace included with every ticket, visitors will be encouraged to explore the palace’s magnificent surroundings, with the world’s oldest puzzle maze, the largest grapevine on the planet and the fun-filled Magic Garden, all waiting to be discovered. Inside the palace there’s lots more to see, from Henry VIII’s Great Hall to the spectacular Cumberland Art Gallery. Foodies can also learn what it took to feed up to 600 people twice a day in the famous Tudor kitchens, where Hampton Court’s team of historic chefs will be cooking up a storm, roasting meat on the great fire and creating a meal fit for a king! Tickets, which include entry to both Hampton Court Palace and BBC Good Food’s Feast, are on sale now at www.bbcgoodfoodshow. com/feast-palace. For more information about Historic Royal Palaces visit www.hrp.org.uk

The Danubius Hotel Regents Park is delighted to announce its newly designed Pavilion Lounge Bar and Grill and Trueman Suite. Our guests can now dine in the cosy atmosphere of our elegant Pavilion Grill, with choices from a brand new A La Carte Menu. With natural daylight and state of the art equipment, it provides the ideal setting for conferences, events and Christmas functions for up to 130 people. Please contact us for more details

OUT & ABOUT

MIRABEAU WINE NOW AT WAITROSE Interview with the makers

people to take a closer look. But we are obsessive about the quality of our wine and understand that our customers must always be delighted with the bottle they put on their dinner table and that really drives us day in day out. What’s a typical day like for you? Utter madness, usually from the moment we wake up to the moment we fall into our beds - this is what a young and growing company is like - it’s all hands to the pumps, all the time. But it’s great, we really love what we do and seeing people drinking Mirabeau and loving it compares to nothing we’ve ever experienced before career wise.

When did you know that you wanted to leave the city and dedicate your lives to making the best Provence Rose? It was a gradual process which took years to conclude. You worry hugely about making the wrong call and mentally we weren’t ready to chuck it all in. Finally, a huge fork in the road came up in Stephen’s career and we both decided that we must go now or forever hold our peace. Why Rose? Because we thought Provence Rosé was the drink that combined great quality, fun and lack of pretentiousness in the perfect manner. We loved the fact that it has inter-generational appeal, is great with almost any food and we feel it was hugely underrated in terms of quality. Why Cotignac? Pure chance, a friend lived here and told us it was a great place to live. We thought we’d give it a go and we have never looked back. It’s one of the few small villages with a vibrant international population, combining the best of South of France with creative and interesting folk. We still couldn’t be happier nearly 9 years down the line. You’re relatively new to the industry yet taking it by storm, how have you done it? Well, thank you. I think we’ve done it by being relentless about making a really good product, as well as being easy to relate to and taking people on our journey with us. We acted differently to most other big wine houses here, who are often impersonal and unengaging and I think that inspired 64 AUGUST 2017

What’s your biggest achievement to date when it comes to Mirabeau? Signing our very first contract with Waitrose was a big highlight. Launching our new wine Etoile this year with Sainsbury’s was brilliant. We have also made inroads into pink sparkling wine, which we both believe is the next big thing from Provence. And of course, winning the Best Value Champion from IWC last year, which really showed that our price quality ratio was excellent which made us very happy. Do you have a favourite cuvee? We argue about that all the time. It’s like having a favourite child… which you’re just not allowed say. We love them all for different reasons and for different purposes.

Is there anything you dislike about wine? Bad, sweet, mass-produced wine giving Rosé a bad reputation. If you could start the business over, would you change anything? Hindsight’s a beautiful thing. Honestly, not much. We always operated on very tight financials, which was often stressful but that situation makes you creative and teaches you good habits. What’s next for Mirabeau? Our big focus other than our beloved Britain is developing Mirabeau in the US and in Australia, so lots of travel and lots more work in the press and on social. We’re working on making sure all our communications are excellent and on a gorgeous new website for 2018. And to create a small but beautiful market for the delicious sparkling pinks from this region, as well as founding a Mirabeau property that more people can visit and spend some time at. Have we lost you to Provence for good or do you see a return to London on the horizon? I’m afraid you have, we cannot see ourselves leaving now that we have formed such strong roots, but we really enjoy coming back frequently and a part of our heart will always belong to England. www.mirabeauwine.com

PROPERTY OUT & ABOUT

Foodies Festival, the UK’s biggest celebration of food and drink returns next month and this year is set to be the best yet! Alexandra Palace, 26, 27 & 28 August 2017

ighlights of the show include some introduced to new food and flavours from around of Britain’s top chefs showcasing their the world. There will be fun science inspired kids culinary skills and inspiring the audience cookery, outdoor activities, simple crafts, toys, with their delicious dishes in The Chefs bouncy castles and trampolines, giant Jenga, chess Theatre. The star studded line-up includes: and garden games. • Rosemary Shrager – Judge on BBC’s The Big Expert mixologists and sommeliers, including Neil Family Cooking Showdown Phillips and Charles Metcalfe, will host masterclasses • Atul Kochhar – Twice Michelin Star Chef at on wine, whisky and champagne and cheese tastings Benares each day in the Drinks Theatre. There’s a Beer for • Gary Angler – Michelin Star Chef at Angler That will be leading craft beer and food pairings, so • Richard O’Connell – Tom’s Kitchen there’s something for everyone. • Tony Rodd – Well Dressed Plates & Foodies Festival attracts street food vendors MasterChef Finalist 2015 from around the world with Japanese, Great British Bake Off 2016 Thai, Malaysian, Argentinian, Turkish, LIFE MAGAZINES winner Candice Brown, master Indian, Korean, Mexican, French READER OFFER chocolatier Fiona Sciolti and top and African just some of the local cakemakers and patisserie flavours to feast on. We have teamed up with chefs will offer practical baking A red carpet welcome. Foodies Festival to offer our masterclasses in the Cakes and The VIP experience offers readers 2 tickets for the price of 1 Desserts Theatre. There will champagne tasting sessions, + goody bags & show guide. be the Chocolate, Cake and a complimentary glass of fizz Quote ref FOODIES241 Dessert Village with freshly courtesy of Borgo Molino, a when purchasing tickets. baked breads, tarts and desserts. new deli and gourmet snacks area Afternoon tea, handmade cakes and and complimentary Foodies Festival scones will be served in the Vintage Tea VIP goodies. Live music will add to Room. visitors’ luxury experience and make their time Foodies Festival has launched a new focus at Foodies Festival all the more memorable. on the art of healthy eating, wellbeing and For more details and to purchase tickets, balanced lifestyles. ‘Free-from’, organic and visit www.foodiesfestival.com; gluten-free products continue to soar in Facebook:@foodiesfestival; Twitter: popularity, and chefs will be demonstrating how @foodiesfestival Instagram: @foodiesfestival to cater for food intolerances. There will also be yoga classes, meditation and talks from the UK’s top nutritionists, health food bloggers and healthy cooks. The whole family can join in at the kids Zone and kids Cookery School where children are

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PROPERTY

Spire London: Western Europe’s Tallest Residential Skyscraper L

ondon’s skyline will have a new player come 2020, when construction will finish on the £800million+ residential skyscraper Spire London. The tower, which will be the tallest of its kind in the UK and Western Europe, will have 67 storeys and measure up at 771ft (235.145m) high. Located in Hertsmere Road, Spire London will be within walking distance of busy business district Canary Wharf and look out over the 30acres of water in West India Quay. Spire London will boast a concierge, residents’ gardens and luxury lifestyle amenities. The spa on the 35th floor will house a 465sq-m pool room with an infinity-edged swimming pool, lounge areas and a Jacuzzi – all to be enjoyed with a backdrop of stunning London-wide views. There will also be a 185sq-m gymnasium and fitness studio with changing facilities. The tower will provide 861 apartments – 765 of which are available for private sale and include suites, one, two and three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom duplex penthouses. Residents will also be able to enjoy the private roof-terrace gardens on the third floor, which offer 929sq-m of outdoor space to make the most of London’s

warmer days. The architects, inspired by the building’s Chinese developers Greenland Group, have taken influences from the orchid flower (cultivated in China for thousands of years) – and also from the building’s waterfront location. Three ‘petals’ The interiors of the building have been put together by leading interior designer Nicola Fontanella of Argent Design. The building’s showstopper will be the ground-floor throughlobby, which with its 6m-high ceilings, columns, feature lighting, lounge seating and concierge will give the impression of a luxurious boutique hotel. Claiming to be the highest and most far-reaching views ever provided over the capital, residents of Spire London will be able to look out over the Thames, Canary Wharf, the City of London and our city’s most famous landmarks. Apartments at Spire London are priced from £595,000 (999-year leases, virtual freehold). For further sales information and to reserve a place at the launch event contact joint sole agents CBRE and JLL on 020 3813 2471 www.cbreresidential.com; www.residential.jll.co.uk; www.spirelondon.com

“The tower will provide 861 apartments – 765 of which are available for private sale and include suites, one, two and three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom duplex penthouses”

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PROPERTY PROPERTY PROPERTY PROPERTY PROPERTY PROPERTY

Fusion heralds a new era of Fusion heralds a new era of Fusion heralds aaexclusivity new era ofof Fusion Fusion Fusion heralds heralds heralds anew anew new era era era ofof elegance and elegance and exclusivity in Ealing’s W5 elegance and exclusivity in Ealing’s W5 elegance elegance elegance and and and exclusivity exclusivity exclusivity in in in Ealing’s Ealing’s Ealing’s W5 W5 W5 in Ealing’s W5 myriad joys of life. From the secure and gated underground parking with

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onceived and crafted by boutique multi-award winning design apartments will also exotic hand-crafted accoutrements, marvellous Residential, when The Birchwood enjoy life’s finer moments while the and Denham private airfield just minutes away,The possession ofpossession a uber-luxurious Fusion residence is to take of destiny. The possession possession of of a Fusion a Residential Fusion of afeature Residential Fusion Residential Residential residence residence residence is to is control to take take is control tocontrol take control of20 of destiny. destiny. of destiny. 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They arejourney the ruleto making it the finest and newest country retreat. making making itcapital’s the it the capital’s itcapital’s the capital’s finest finest and finest and newest newest and country newest country country retreat. retreat. retreat. The design brief for the project was pioneering and innovative. Interest has the making capital’s finest and newest country retreat. joys of life. From theresidences secure andingated underground Canary Wharf and around reducing byThey half the travel time thein most exclusive locations around London. They are the rule residences residences residences in the the most inmost the exclusive most exclusive exclusive locations locations locations around around London. London. They areThey are thethe rule arerule the rule breakers, the dream makers and are well versed inLondon. luxury. 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Londonâ€™s New Country Retreat. PARK VIEW ROAD, EALING, W5 Beautifully crafted, bespoke, 3 & 4 bedroom lateral apartments with expansive open air terraces, concierge at your service, gated underground parking & private store rooms. Just 11 minutes to Bond Street via Crossrail from 2018.

LIMITED TO SIX RESIDENCES LAUNCHING WINTER 2017

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PROPERTY

London’s Premier New Address Ten Trinity Square T en Trinity Square is one of London’s true landmark buildings and is set to become one of the city’s most exclusive addresses. Following a meticulous restoration, the Grade II* listed heritage building will be home to Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square and 41 residences managed by Four Seasons. The building will comprise a distinctive collection of spaces harmoniously arranged to provide the very best of places to live, meet and stay.

THE RESIDENCES The 41 spacious and highly specified luxury residences range in size from one to five bedrooms, offering amazing views of the Square Mile, Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the River Thames. Designs draw inspiration from the building’s origins in the 1920s, a time of refined luxury, prosperity and glamour. Residents will enjoy Four Seasons services and property management, combining a luxury lifestyle with personalised 24-hour care in surroundings of style and quality. Property prices start from £5million for a onebedroom apartment on a 999-year-lease, and are for sale through Christie’s International Real Estate (020 7389 5142; christiesrealestate.com) and Strutt & Parker (020 7318 5198; struttandparker.com). Residences will also have access to the luxury Four Seasons Hotel and Spa on the premises.

THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL & SPA Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square will offer 89 guest rooms and 11 suites, restaurants, bars, meeting salons and spa. Acclaimed French chef Anne-Sophie Pic will make her UK debut with the opening of La Dame de Pic. And opening on 1st May their sleekly designed Asian restaurant will specialise in Chinese and Japanese dishes, all served with Four Seasons finesse. From 1st April, experience the City of London’s 72 AUGUST 2017

most lavish spa sanctuary, offering premier health and wellness treatments, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and a beautiful 14 metre indoor pool. Adjoining relaxation amenities include a vitality pool, steam room and sauna.

THE PRIVATE MEMBERS CLUB The building’s original classical meeting rooms are being restored to provide facilities for an exclusive private members club, housing a cigar sampling lounge, bar, art gallery and business centre, and the residents’ and members’ wine store featuring the Château Latour Discovery Room and Dining Room. Following this six-year, multi-million-pound renovation – and now with the renowned management of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts – Ten Trinity Square stands once again as one of London’s most desirable addresses. For more information, visit www. tentrinitysquare.com; Four Seasons Hotel, Spa & Residences, 10 Trinity Square, EC3N 4AJ; Tel. 0203 297 9200

“The 41 spacious and highly specified luxury residences range in size from one to five bedrooms”

FABRICS & FURNISHINGS PROPERTY

Going underground at Kensington Palace? T

he tide may have turned against controversial ‘iceberg’ mega-basements being dug beneath some of the country’s most expensive neighbourhoods. But in the case of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, it appears that council planners might be willing to make an exception. Officials from Historic Royal Palaces have applied to Kensington and Chelsea Council to build a two-storey basement beneath the Orangery in the grounds of Kensington Palace. The 50m-long basement will be required to free up the palace suites which HRP currently uses to make way for members of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry’s own staff. Two-storey basement extensions are usually in breach of the strict new policy on basements introduced by Kensington & Chelsea Council to combat the spread of ‘iceberg’ developments in the borough. But planning officials will be urged to approve the plans on the grounds that an “exception” to the rule that no basement should

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be more than one floor can be made in the case of “large sites”. William and Kate are apparently returning to Kensington Palace in the autumn and their staff will need room to work as part of the wider duties being taken on by the three Royals. The new basement will also house ceremonial dresses from the Royal collection. The development at the Grade 1-listed Orangery would provide more than 1,500 sq m of extra space over three floors - two below ground, and one above ground. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will have 22 rooms and two kitchens in their refurbished apartment at Kensington Palace, or KP as William’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales used to call it. Princess Eugenie and her boyfriend, Jack Brooksbank, are moving in to Ivy Cottage in the grounds of the palace later this year and Prince Harry lives in nearby Nottingham Cottage. Kensington and Chelsea council said it could not comment on the plans, ahead of them being discussed at by officials later this year.

“William and Kate are apparently returning to Kensington Palace in the autumn”

EDUC ATION

Q&A S

ince 2004, Holland Park Tuition & Education Consultants has been a leading source of private tutors and educational guidance. Over the years, they have cultivated strong relationships with, and secured places at, the top nurseries, schools and universities in London and around the world. Their tutors and consultants are committed to bringing the best out of students as well as helping families to understand and navigate the range of educational options available to them. Holland Park’s Director of Consulting, Camilla Smiley, answers some of the key questions that parents ask about their children’s education.

SESSION WITH HOLLAND PARK EDUCATION

Camilla Smiley, Director of Consulting

Question:

My son is at an outstanding primary school but we are considering 7+ entrance to a competitive prep school. How best can we prepare him?

Answer:

It should go without saying that your son is going to face stiff competition; his academic preparation should be strategic and targeted. However bright he is, it is unlikely that he will have much experience of the type of questions that will be set. Papers are designed to test aptitude rather than existing knowledge. Familiarise him with their format and style so that he knows what to expect. Practice doing them to time, too. However, top prep schools are not looking for one-trick ponies and he should be busy enjoying lots of activities outside the classroom, too. Taking him to museums, galleries, theatre and concerts will broaden his mind and encourage the kind of intellectual curiosity that admissions staff love. And of course, this is not just great training for an interview – it’s training for life!

Question:

My toddler is down for a Montessori and a traditional nursery. Which will prepare her better for school?

Answer:

The Montessori method encourages children to learn at their own pace and in their own way whilst traditional nurseries are more teacher-led. Some say that Montessoris do not prepare children for the structure of ‘big school’; others criticise traditional nurseries for stifling independent learning. However, the huge majority of London nurseries – Montessori or not – fall somewhere along the spectrum. A successful nursery will nurture curiosity and creativity whilst ensuring that children are school-ready by the time they turn 4. Look instead at other elements of the nurseries in question. Are the teachers dynamic, enthusiastic and enjoying their job? How do they respond to each other and to their young charges? Do they take pride in their nursery environment? Is there work on the walls, and is it recent? Are the children busy and engaged in their activities? Is there outdoor space and, if not, does that matter to you? Children learn most effectively when they’re happy; trust your instinct on which feels like a better environment for your little one.

“The Montessori method encourages children to learn at their own pace and in their own way whilst traditional nurseries are more teacher-led”

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If you would like to speak to the Holland Park team about your educational requirements, please contact the London office on 020 7034 0800 or enquiries@ hollandparkeducation.com

â€œ We believe that decisions about education should be exciting, not bewildering.â€?

Private Tuition | School & University Advice www.hollandparkeducation.com 020 7034 0800

education EDUC ATION

How to Create a Child Genius London parents are upping their game in pursuit of the perfect report card. From philosophy programmes to bilingual nurseries, we offer a guide for modern tiger parents.

SCHMOOZE OR LOSE As every London parent knows, your child is an extension of your personality: your little ambassador in the world. It’s not enough to hope that your children will be happy and well-adjusted. You need them to be happy, well-adjusted and much cleverer than the other children you know. That magical phrase ‘gifted and talented’ on the report card is so much classier than turning up at the school gates in Armani jeans and an Audi Q6. All this may look like middle-class one-upmanship masquerading as parental love, but let’s be honest: there is no greater love. We’re alchemising our own insecurities into the parenting rocket fuel that means our children will never have to suffer such insecurities themselves. Want to build a child genius? Then swot up on this...

Katie Hopkins left the nation aghast after declaring she wouldn’t let her children associate with kids named Charmaine, Chardonnay or Tyler. Nevertheless, ambitious parents do vet their kids’ pals. Perfect manners and a reading age of 15? Good playmate. Chews exercise books and likes setting things on fire? Discouraged. Hence Maggie & Rose, the UK’s first private members’ clubs for kids, with two branches in West London. Members can enjoy endless soft play, cookery classes, dance classes — and excellent social opportunities.

OK COMPUTER The modern parent hip to Steven Johnson’s Everything Bad is Good for You, knows that not all video games don’t rot the brain: they give it an IQraising cognitive workout. Look at the brilliant way digital publishers such as Nosy Crow incorporate problem-solving into storytelling, while apps such as Reading Raven are engaging ways to get children into the world of words.

TUNE IN Studies consistently prove that children who learn music show greater increases in IQ than those who don’t; research has shown that listening to Mozart produces a measurable increase in spatial reasoning. So seek out an instrument that will nourish your darling son or daughter’s mind and soul, and make your home intolerable during practice time.

DOUBLE UP Most London schools are attended by children who speak many languages. Naïve parents might think this is a good way for their child to pick up a few foreign words. Wrong. Instead, you want to aim for a nursery where they speak two languages deliberately, rather than lots by accident. French never hurts, and there’s a good number of French bilingual nurseries in London. To be extra chic, brave the waiting list for a place at the Azbuka Foundation’s Russian nursery in Richmond.

THINK OR SINK What could be more important than a five-year-old getting special help dealing with the things that are most fundamental to the history of Western thought. Most tots are struggling with whether ‘i’ comes before ‘e’. Get yours worrying instead about whether existence comes before essence. The P4C Co-operative (philosophy for children) – a 78 AUGUST 2017

worldwide educational movement launched in 1972 by the American professor Matthew Lipman — offers, for a modest subscription (£35), a range of philosophy-teaching online resources for kids.

ACT UP Drama lessons are very important for building confidence, imaginative play, empathy and those healthy feelings of hating six-year-old Amelia because she beat you to Cordelia in the school production of King Lear, so you ended up having to play Goneril. It’s tough out there: best get them used to it early. The media yummy mummies of Crouch End swear by Perform and its high-energy productions: each term builds to a full ensemble performance, backed by bespoke apps and a swishy online costume shop.

LEARN THROUGH PLAY There’s oodles of research supporting it. Chess, of course, teaches basic game theory and pattern recognition. And Scrabble offers vocabulary and simple maths. But bridge, as well as being an opportunity for parents and children to bond, encourages complicated strategic thought, memory and communication skills. Andrew Robson’s bridge club in Fulham does children’s lessons.

TEST TASTES As they say in computer science: garbage in, garbage out. It’s all very well making sure that your children eat well at home, but what about when they’re with other children? Unless your child is properly trained, they could easily be tempted to accept Haribo Tangfastics, Dairylea Triangles or worse. So educate your progeny early to question the provenance of food — a friend’s child, for instance, politely declines supermarket sausages and expresses a preference for Parmesan over cheddar.

HOMEWORK IT Everyone knows that the key to learning is partnership. It’s no use leaving your little darling to struggle through writing a poem or drawing a dinosaur without guidance — especially when he/ she thinks Triceratops and Trilobites lived at the same time and were both pink, or that one sentence in two merits an exclamation mark. Here’s the chance for your child to watch — little brain soaking it all in like a sponge — as you build a diorama of a PreCambrian habitat or correct that dear little sonnet from Shakespearean to Petrarchan.

EDUC ATION

Privately Educated People Dominate Top British jobs The study, by the Sutton Trust education charity, shows that virtually every key profession is dominated by privately educated pupils grabbing the senior management/director positions

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heir grip on power is most noticeable in the judiciary, where 74 per cent of leading judges (those in the High Court or Court of Appeal) were privately educated. Figures in the report also show that one in three MPs (32 per cent) was privately educated – as were half the members of the Conservative Cabinet. Even in Jeremy Corbyn’s Shadow Cabinet, 13 per cent of members went to private school. Nationally, the figure is just 7 per cent. The report, carried out by Dr Philip Kirby, goes on to show that 71 per cent of senior Army officers – two-star generals and above – went to private schools. Only 12 per cent attended comprehensives. In medicine, 61 per cent of doctors were privately educated while 22 per cent went to selective state grammar schools and just 16 per cent to comprehensives. The list goes on – 48 per cent of civil servants were educated privately, 29 per cent

went to selective grammar schools and 23 per cent to comprehensives. The higher echelons of journalism are also dominated by the private sector, with 51 per cent educated in independent schools. And of those chief executives of FTSE 100 companies who were educated in the UK, 34 per cent were privately educated. Nearly half the top actors – 42 per cent of Bafta Award winners – went to private schools, fuelling criticism that the profession is becoming more elitist. “Our research shows that your chances of reaching the top in so many areas of British life are so much better if you went to an independent school,” said Sir Peter Lampl, the chairman of the Sutton Trust. “As well as academic achievement, an independent education tends to develop the essential skills such as confidence, articulacy and teamwork, which are vital to career success.

OPEN MORNING SATURDAY 16th SEPTEMBER | 9.00AM

www.dulwichpreplondon.org

OPEN MORNING SATURDAY 16th SEPTEMBER | 9.00AM

www.dulwichpreplondon.org

HOLIDAYS & travel – Heading out of London to explore the rest of the world – i m age : SYDN E Y, AUSTRALIA

H OLIDAYS & TRAVEL

[NEWS]

TRAVEL Four Seasons Announces New 2018 “World of Adventures” Private Jet Itinerary

Hilton’s Expansion in China Hilton recently announced the opening of the Nanhai Wing at Hilton Shenzhen Shekou Nanhai. The new wing is an incorporation of the former Nanhai Hotel, one of Shenzhen’s earliest and most renowned hotels, and will bring a host of new amenities and experiences to guests including three dining outlets, multiple recreation facilities and 218 additional guest rooms featuring sweeping views of Shenzhen Bay. www.hilton.com

Faro Airport opens new expanded terminal

our Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the world’s leading luxury hospitality company, recently unveiled World of Adventures, a new Four Seasons Private Jet experience set to take flight from October 19 to November 11, 2018. From the Seychelles to the Galápagos, experience the rare, the wild and the beautiful on this trailblazing voyage across eight countries. The Four Seasons Private Jet takes travellers on a global exploration of carefully curated experiences, creating lasting memories in the world’s most prized destinations. The 2017 International Intrigue itinerary this September has sold out, and bookings for 2018’s Timeless Encounters and International Intrigue are moving quickly, which prompted Four Seasons to add a third 2018 itinerary. “In response to the overwhelming popularity of our Private Jet program, we’re pleased to announce the addition of an all-new 2018 journey, creating even more opportunities for guests to experience the extraordinary people and memorable

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“The Four Seasons Private Jet takes travellers on a global exploration of carefully curated experience” destinations that define the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience,” says J. Allen Smith, President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “The new World of Adventures itinerary marks an exciting extension of our program, creating a unique opportunity for guests to enjoy an endto-end Four Seasons experience in destinations where we don’t have a presence. For the first time, guests can experience the beauty of Rwanda and the adventures of the Galápagos with every aspect of their journey looked after with the attention to detail and thoughtful service that Four Seasons is known for.” www.fourseasons.com

Portugal’s Faro Airport has unveiled its newly expanded passenger terminal which it claims is more user friendly and operationally efficient. The airport has invested €32.8 million on increasing the size of the complex from 81,200sqm to 93,120sqm, which operator, ANA, reveals has allowed it to expand and update the terminal’s retail, security and operational facilities. It has also allowed the airport to improve security through the opening of new control areas, a move ANA says will “maintain high safety standards and an adequate level of quality of service”. The revamp is expected to boost the airport’s capacity by speeding up passenger processing times in the terminal that will allow for quicker aircraft turnarounds and subsequently more aircraft movements.

H OLIDAYS & TRAVEL

[NEWS]

TRAVEL Holiday Memories ON YOUR Wallpaper Wallsauce.com show you how to capture those precious holiday memories and bring them home with create your own wallpaper. Creator of made-to-measure wallpaper murals, Wallsauce.com is offering a ‘use your own image’ feature on its website so that you can always be around those priceless memories in your home. Whether you’re taking a once in a lifetime trip, or visiting long-distance relatives, relive these long summer days all year round and upload your photo to create completely bespoke wallpaper. Ideal for living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms and even offices, create your own wallpaper and make your space personal. From stunning photos of dreamy beaches to favourite family shots, Wallsauce.com can turn almost any image into a unique wall covering. Simply upload your image, it’ll check the quality of the file before you input your wall’s dimensions. What’s more, Wallsauce.com offer a choice of quality wallpapers including paste the wall and peel and stick – great for rented accommodation! Wallsauce.com is one of the UK’s leading wallpaper mural companies. Delivering high-quality products worldwide, Wallsauce.com is proud of its customers’ rating its product excellent. Prices for creating your own wallpaper start from as little as £26/m². In-house designers are also on hand to help with any purchases. Visit www.wallsauce.com/upload-your-own and follow the simple steps to upload your image to create your completely bespoke wall covering.

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

A Dandy Lion’s Handkerchief Set BY Chase and Wonder, £14.99, www.chaseandwonder.com

Pool Float - Giant Watermelon BY Totally Funky, £19.99, www.totally-funky.co.uk

Tatty Devine Dental Bling Coin Purse BY Wild & Wolf, www.wildandwolf.com

86 AUGUST 2017

Jumeirah Vittaveli in the Maldives unveils Family Fun Offer

Jumeirah Vittaveli has launched the Family Fun Offer to provide the whole family with an unforgettable experience this summer. Conveniently located just 20-minutes away from Malé’s international airport by luxury catamaran, the resort offers one of the largest children’s clubs in the Maldives. The exclusive Family Fun Offer comprises a 4 night stay in a Two Bedroom Beach Villa with Pool and includes exclusive access to a private beach or lagoon, daily buffet breakfast, afternoon tea in villa and evening meals at Samsara, Fenesse or MU Grill, in addition to a fruit basket on arrival and beach BBQ with the family. Activities available include a Maldivian cooking course, complimentary access to the Kuda Koli Kids Club and Teen Lounge, complimentary non-motorised water sports and snorkelling equipment, use of bicycles to explore the island and three hours of babysitting per stay. Children under the age of 17 can enjoy complimentary food on a full board basis (excluding Swarna) and a complimentary airport transfer. Wi-Fi access is available throughout the resort. At Kuda Koli Kids Club, children can make new friends, try creative activities, enjoy the club’s facilities and cool off in the shallow family swimming pool or teen lounge. The children’s programme enables every age group to take part in games and events. To make a reservation please call +960 664 2020 or e-mail jvmreservations@jumeirah.com.

H OLIDAYS & TRAVEL

A New World to discover “Portuguese rulers were the first ones to rule Rio as they landed on the soil of Guanabara Bay in 1502”

Since the Rio 2016 Olympics this incredible city has become one of the most popular holiday hotspots for this year

io de Janeiro, known as the marvellous city (“Cidade Maravilhosa”) by the local Cariocas, proudly offers stunning culture and history, white sandy beaches, carnivals, amazing shopping opportunities, incredible nightlife…and views to die for. Rio de Janeiro is the city it is today because of its historical past. Portuguese rulers were the first ones to rule Rio as they landed on the soil of Guanabara Bay in 1502. The bay forms the opening of a river, hence the name ‘Rio de Janeiro’ which means ‘River of January’. When Brazil achieved independence in 1889, Rio was named the capital. The statue of Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) is part of the new edition of the Seven Wonders of the World. Acting as a representative of Rio, the attraction, inaugurated in 1931, was built approximately 38 meters high and covers 710 meters of the Corcovado Mountain, providing panoramic views of Rio beyond compare. The world famous Rio de Janeiro Carnival is celebrated during the four days previous to the beginning of Lent. A trip to Rio de Janeiro is incomplete without experiencing the shimmer

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and jiggle of brilliant samba dancers - a great opportunity enjoy Rio’s party culture. Many people travel to Rio for its famous beaches like Ipanema - the wealthier sibling of the famous Copacabana beach, located between Leblon and Arpoador regions. For shopaholics, shopping in Rio is a dream come true! The malls are home to some of the most famous brands in the world. The city also has a number of markets well worth a visit. The history and culture, the sandy beaches and the glitz of the city have all made Rio what it is today. The people are friendly, laid-back and amazing hosts, with tourists welcomed with supreme warmth and friendliness. www.riodejaneiro.com

“The history and culture, the sandy beaches and the glitz of the city have all made Rio what it is today”

AUGUST 2017 89

H OLIDAYS & TRAVEL

Celebrity Edge:

A new cruise line for young, affluent travellers

elebrity Edge changes everything. The way you experience the world; the way you connect with the ocean; the way you play, dine and unwind at sea. Revolutionary on every level, she’s the ship that’s setting a new standard of luxury and innovation at sea. The way you cruise will never be the same again. Teaming up with some of the world’s best designers, Celebrity Cruises have created accommodation that has never before been experienced at sea. Royal Caribbean Cruises will be debuting the first of its five ships in December 2018, and each is projected to cost about $1 billion a piece to construct.

Let’s take a peek inside the world’s most high-tech cruise ship…. New Celebrity Edge Staterooms will feature an infinite balcony – touch a button and your entire living space becomes the balcony, letting you walk right out to the water’s edge. Their new Iconic Suites are the most luxurious and spacious in their fleet; while the six two-storey Edge Villas will boast 950 square feet of split-level, indoor-outdoor splendour. They have even created 178 connecting stateroom options, meaning you can connect different rooms for a whole new space. Guests can 90 AUGUST 2017

“Celebrity Cruises have created accommodation that has never before been experienced at sea”

spoil themselves rotten with Eucalyptus-treated cashmere mattresses from Italy, Bulgari bath amenities, butler service, packing and unpacking support, and even a bar with a personalised stock! Around the ship, guests can enjoy the resort-style deck with the main pool enclosed by a glass-like dome to allow for all-weather swimming and sunning. Six poolside cabanas will surround the pool as well as a martini-shaped hot tub. The deck is also home to the Solarium, a rooftop garden maintained by a dedicated horticulturist. The garden, designed by Tom Wright (Burj Al Arab Hotel), can be used for dinner and movie nights, private events or theme parties with live music. If you’d like to go for a run in the morning, check out the two-deck jogging track that’ll sit above the ship’s rooftop deck. Among Celebrity Edge’s coolest features will be its “Magic Carpet,” a 90-ton platform that will sit on the side of the ship and will move up and down the vessel depending on the time of day. The size of a tennis court, the platform will move like an elevator along the ship between deck’s two through 16. When stopped on the latter level, guests can enjoy “Dinner on the Edge,” via a 90-seat restaurant that will be open in the evenings. If the Magic Carpet is on Deck 5, it’ll be a lunchtime haunt while on Deck 14 it’ll act as an extension of the pool area. Instead,

TRINITY HOUSE

SHOWCASING BRITAIN’S MAGNIFICENT MARITIME HERITAGE Trinity House, home to the General Lighthouse Authority, is situated on Tower Hill opposite the Tower of London and is one of London’s most impressive private venues and available on an exclusive basis. Easily accessed by car or the underground, the House has the ambience of a grand private residence and it is a stunning setting for important social occasions. Behind the building’s Georgian façade are five elegant meeting rooms ranging in capacity from 10 to 130 seated places and 180 standing. The House showcases many remarkable maritime artefacts and throughout the building, valuable paintings and antiques are a testament to the nation’s unique nautical heritage. This chronicle began in 1514 when a young Henry VIII granted the charitable guild of mariners a Royal Charter to regulate the water traffic on the River Thames, their powers later extended by Elizabeth 1 to include the Sea Marks and Land Beacons around the English coastline. In its 200 year history, the building has welcomed royalty, prime ministers and Lords of the Admiralty and is today managed by Deputy Master, Captain Ian McNaught. Reflecting the on-going patronage of the Crown, the current Master of the Company is HRH The Princess Royal, filling a role held in former centuries by, amongst others, the diarist Samuel Pepys, the Duke of Wellington and William Pitt. If you are planning to attend the Square Meal Venues and Event Show, 2017, at Old Billingsgate, on Thursday, 21st September, you are cordially invited to a pre-Show champagne breakfast at Trinity House from 8.30am – 11.30am. Registration is essential so please email kp@kpcommunications.co.uk to reserve a place.

To view a brief film of the House and its facilities, please visit: www.trinityhouse.co.uk/events-at-trinity-house-london To make an appointment to view the House with for a potential private booking, please email: edgar.king@trinityhouse.co.uk

H OLIDAYS & TRAVEL

you get cabins that extend to the end of the ship providing fantastic views and stateroom floor plans that are (on average) 23 per cent larger. Guests will be given RFID-enabled wristbands that enable guests to scan in and out of the ship at port or charge drinks to their rooms. Guests will also be able to check in, control their room temperature and unlock stateroom doors using their smartphone. Making it easier for passengers to make meal reservations or charge drinks to their rooms, guests will have the opportunity to do everything from their smartphones. With an incredible ship designed to highlight the destinations, they have decided to start in the corner of the world so often referred to as ‘paradise’ – the Caribbean. Celebrity Edge offers two sun-soaked itineraries from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. When it comes to extraordinary venues, Celebrity has the edge. www.celebritycruises.co.uk

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H OLIDAYS & TRAVEL HOLIDAYS

“This study offers a compelling overview of hundreds of destinations that are beloved by Instagram users”

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#Most Instagrammed

Five out of the top ten most hashtagged tourist destinations in the world are in the USA, with California’s Disneyland coming out top

ravelBird love inspiring travellers to seek out new adventures and create memories that can be shared with friends and family. Many people, especially those in the Millennial demographic, use Instagram to both seek and share #wanderlust #inspo. Hashtags are used not only to document journeys, but to make it easier for those interested to find content they love. The travel specialists have now released the Most Instagrammed Tourist Attractions, a study ranking 470 attractions in many countries around the world based on the number of tags on the social media platform. With the image-based application most popular among Millennial users, TravelBird sought to use the information to gain an understanding of how global travel destinations measure up on social media. The results provide an in depth view of the best travel spots. A master ranking was created, which compares over 400 of the world’s most popular tourist destinations on their Instagram presence. “This study offers a compelling overview of hundreds of destinations that are beloved by Instagram users for their cultural heritage, their stunning natural beauty and their local charm,” states Symen Jansma, Founder of TravelBird. “Alongside this, the data also tells a fascinating story about the ways people are travelling in 2017, offering valuable insights for the travel and tourism industry.” www.travelbird.nl/most-instagrammed-tourist-attractions

Rank

Destination

Region

Tags

Disneyland

California, USA

14,615,952

Eiffel Tower

Parisian Region, France

7,253,011

Walt Disney World

Florida, USA

5,465,098

South Beach

Florida, USA

4,689,396

Berlin Wall

Berlin, Germany

4,595,501

Las Vegas Strip

Nevada, USA

3,653,548

Big Ben

Greater London, UK

2,561,617

Times Square

New York, USA

2,560,272

Notre Dame

Parisian Region, France

2,517,129

Oktoberfest

Bavaria, Germany

2,262,885 AUGUST 2017 95

fashion, HEALTH

& beauty – Fashion, health and beauty news to keep you looking and feeling your best – i m age : HARRODS

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

[NEWS]

BEAUTY & FASHION WEARABLE ART Elisabeth Riveiro is a passionate jeweller who hand makes her pieces in her studio in France using ancient and traditional techniques such as lost wax casting, planishing, chiselling and enamelling. She has been working for more than thirty years translating the designs of Enesto Riveiro inspired by ancient civilisations with an emphasis on geometric, zoomorphic or symbolic patterns. They are small wearable sculptures made from bronze and then gold gilded or silver plated. Bracelet “Olympe” by Elisabeth Riveiro, L’Atelier Natalia Willmott, £105, www.nataliawillmott.co.uk

HOLIDAY ESSENTIAL This Samantha Holmes best selling design is now available in a light mix of Linen and Alpaca for summer. Versatile for all occasions. This is the perfect travel essential for long flights, summer evenings outdoors or simply at home in the garden as the sun goes down. For the perfect gift add one of the ivory gift boxes with mulberry tissue, story tag and branded silk ribbon. £110. www.samanthaholmes.com

“Nude pieces are a fashion statement to be made any time of year”

KEEPING IT PERSONAL This beautiful bag will go with anything this summer and add a personalised touch to your wardrobe – making it a perfect talking point or gift for a good friend or loved one. Nude pieces are a fashion statement to be made any time of year, and this stunning personalised nude leather clutch bag will do just that. £59.99. www.prezzybox.com 98 AUGUST 2017

VINTAGE STYLE Give your lips the tender loving care they need with this gorgeously decadent Kellogg’s 50’s Vintage Lip Balm. Made from the most beautiful Tuberose And Jasmine scents and containing only the finest moisturising ingredients, your lip balm is perfect for all weathers and will have your lips feeling beautifully soft and silky in no time. Kellogg’s 50’s Vintage Lip Balm - English Rose, £4.99, www.prezzybox.com

CARNABY FASHION FESTIVAL THURSDAY 21 – SUNDAY 24 SEPTEMBER

artnering with graphic fashion designer Lauren Rolwing, the 80s pop influenced artist will create FREE bespoke fashion illustrations to celebrate the campaign. Choose from four designs depicting Carnaby’s leading fashion tribes from participating brands. Lauren’s portfolio includes work with Kenzo and Chanel to Céline and Saint Laurent. Hail a FREE ride in the illustrated Carnaby Taxi decorated with one of Lauren’s eye-catching ‘Style Tribe’ designs, offering shuttles from LFW Festival on The Strand to Carnaby. The taxi will offer riders the ultimate LFWF experience, and also the opportunity to exclusively get their hands on the new edition of the Carnaby Magazine, launching on Thursday 21 September. Fashionable shoppers will also be in with a chance to win an exclusive Carnaby tote bag and goodie bag worth £200. Enjoy exclusive fashion talks, workshops and offers across the 13 streets of Carnaby at top fashion and beauty brands including Monki, Diesel and The Ragged Priest, as well as Dr. Martens, Pixi and OFFICE. Head to Carnaby.co.uk for more details. At 1 Carnaby Street, check out the brand new studio and café space for the Sweaty Betty flagship, where brand ambassadors will give exclusive talks on the latest fashion and leisurewear trends. Then head to independent streetwear label Lazy Oaf, who are hosting a not-to-be-missed preview event in their Ganton Street store throughout the day on Thursday 21 September. Catch live DJs, exclusive previews of their new Winter collection and a Q&A with director and designer Gemma Shiel.

On Friday 22, Jack Wills will be hosting a breakfast at their new Espresso Bar, then head back from 6pm for a drinks reception at the Mucky Pheasant bar. Beauty brands M.A.C and lllamasqua will be holding ‘Get The Look’ masterclasses with their head make-up artists, and answering burning beauty questions from the Front Row. Also on Thursday 21 September, Benefit’s National Trend Team Sarah Sargent and Valentina Amato will be giving top tips on wearing the looks straight off the runway. Seats on a first come first serve basis and subject to availability. Exclusive Carnaby Fashion Festival cocktails and dishes will be available at Dirty Bones, Le Bab, Señor Ceviche and Jinjuu. Wright Brothers Soho will have a martini twist cocktail and 3 oysters for £10 each day between 3-6pm. Full line-up of activity and events, visit www. Carnaby.co.uk and follow @CarnabyLondon for live updates. Carnaby.co.uk; @CarnabyLondon; #CarnabyFashFest

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Make a splash with your summer swimwear! S

hopping for swimwear is enough to bring a woman really out in a sweat. But there’s such a great range of styles, colours and flattering cover-ups available that everyone can look hot on the beach, no matter what their shape or size. IF YOU’RE VERY SLIM: If you have no waist and shoulders the same width as your hips, you can get away with pretty much anything bikini-wise, but make sure you go for one that makes you look feminine. Triangle bikinis look great on slim women, as do bikinis that fasten around the back of the neck (they flatter shoulders and rectangular shapes). Plus, tie bottoms look great on svelte legs. If you prefer a one-piece, go for one with geometric motifs to highlight your waist and give you shape. Choosing a simple style in an attention-grabbing colour is a good way to stand out from the crowd. IF YOU’RE FULL-FIGURED: And no waist, go for a onepiece swimsuit in a matte colour to highlight your décolleté. Onepieces camouflage little sins like tummies and flab. Balcony shapes are glam and sexy. If you go for a two-piece, avoid bikini shorts or high-cut bottoms which will weigh down your figure. Whether you’re slim or full-figured, avoid: Square décolletés and horizontal stripes, which can make you look bigger than you are. IF YOU’VE GOT A BOYISH, TRIANGULAR SHAPE: If you have large shoulder and slim hips, balance out your figure and make it more feminine in highwaisted short bikinis that lengthen your legs (these

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are also great at hiding any hint of a tummy!). They widen your hips and make you look more in proportion. If you have a small chest, try push-up plunge bras to give you a bit of oomph. One-piece costumes suit you well, especially V-neck ones which widen your figure in the right places. Think Bond Girl! Avoid: Plain, shapeless ‘swimming’ costumes that make your figure look boyish. Low waists which highlight slim hips and wide shoulders. IF YOU’RE PEAR-SHAPED: If you have big hips and slim shoulders, definately go for a bikini. Weigh out your bottom half with a balcony top that draws attention to your chest. Triangle tops tied behind the neck show off good shoulders, while lowwaisted bottoms with little ties balance out your shape well. One-piece swimsuits highlight your waist, but they make your legs look shorter - or even heavier - than they really are. Avoid: High waists. They don’t flatter heavy hips and thighs. IF YOU HAVE WELL-PROPORTIONED CURVES: If your shoulders and hips are the same width and you have a slim waist, you’re lucky enough to be able to wear pretty much any kind of swimwear. Take care with one-piece costumes, though. They have to fit perfectly: if they don’t hug your curves in the right places they flatten your shape and make you look heavier than you are. If you have little love handles, avoid tight strings that make you look like you’re squeezed into your bikini. Avoid: Bandeau tops if you’re big-busted. They only flatten out your assets! Accessorise with simple jewellery and classic sunnies for a shortcut to A-List style!

“If your shoulders and hips are the same width and you have a slim waist, you’re lucky enough to be able to wear pretty much any kind of swimwear”

Iuri Shubladze Inc. creates one-of-a-kind handbags and clutches with a bold modern sensibility, handmade at the highest level of craftsmanship. Our designs play with geometrics and proportion, and combine exquisite materials in fresh, unexpected pairings. See the collection at www.iurishnyc.com, or contact iurish@hotmail.com.

Photographer: Adrian Buckmaster

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

HARRODS ANNOUNCES SALON

haven for fragrance connoisseurs, with an alchemic array of haute perfumes for both men and women - the expanded salon will offer a number of worldwide exclusives from brands including Penhaligon’s, Armani Privé, Burberry, Sospiro, Frédéric Malle, Bond No.9 and Floraïku. These new boutiques 102 AUGUST 2017

will join those of Chanel, Clive Christian, Dior, Ex Nihilo, Guerlain, Henry Jacques, Kilian, Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie, Tom Ford and Xerjoff. From 27th July - 31st August – in celebration of the expansion – masterclasses, events and personalisation will be offered, including an evening with Clive Christian learning about the Absolute

DE PARFUMS EXPANSION extraction method of Enfleurage, and a chance to discover the meaning behind the gemstones adorning Armani Privé bottles. Penhaligon’s will be providing custom fragrance services. Also, an exclusive scent that is part of the Portraits Collection – The Remarkable Success of Mr. Harrod – will debut in September. Armani Privé will present an immersive “Privé experience” combining fragrance, light and music to create a relaxing atmosphere. There will also be exclusive perfumes available, including Charm, the Couture Edition fragrance inspired by the fashion house’s SS17 collection. Created by Alberto Morillas, the fragrance includes notes of iris and guaiac wood. 100ml, £550 Burberry will showcase the Burberry Bespoke collection, inspired by the British countryside: a Bloomsbury garden, coastal settings and a lush Scottish heath. “Fragrance discovery” appointments will also be available, during which bottles can be

“Sospiro’s new space reflects the philosophy of the brand. A wall of butterflies – the symbol of Sospiro – welcomes you to the boutique”

including monogramming, as well as an exclusive limited-edition travel case, part of Editions de Parfums’ collaboration with French goldsmiths Goossens. Bond No.9 will launch its first UK boutique, which will feature custom fragrance blending as well as Private Bond, the world’s first mix-at-home fragrance system. Bond No.9 Swarovski will also be available. Floraïku Salon de Parfums is home to the worldwide launch of this Japanese fragrance brand. The boutique will be home to exclusive fragrances, including I See The Clouds Go By, One Umbrella for Two and Sleeping on the Roof. The fragrances can be personalised with a letter, kamon or emoji. The intimate retail experience allows customers to explore some of the world’s finest and rarest scents, some of which are exclusive to Harrods. From traditional perfumes that have stood the test of time, to the newest creations, your signature scent is waiting to be discovered. The Salon de Parfums is located on the 6th Floor of Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL; www.harrods.com

monogrammed with up to three initials. From £225 Sospiro’s new space reflects the philosophy of the brand. A wall of butterflies – the symbol of Sospiro – welcomes you to the boutique; and two exclusive fragrances – Verde Accento (100ml, £165) and Diapason (100ml, £265) will be available. Verde Accento is refined and bright, with notes of mandarin and hesperidic bergamot, jasmine, and pink pepper, layered with amber and sandalwood. Diapason includes top notes of Bulgarian rose and geranium, middle notes of guaiac wood and atlas cedar, and base notes of amber, Haitian vetiver and musk. Frédéric Malle will present a range of home, bath & body products alongside its fragrances. The boutique will also offer personalisation services AUGUST 2017 103

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

SHOE TRENDS TO REFRESH YOUR WARDROBE

Stuck in a wardrobe rut? Take the shortcut to trend town with a pair (or three) of the season’s chicest kicks. From comfy flats for day to statement-making high heels, these are the shoes to choose … WORDS: Katie Wright, Press Association

“Right now it’s all about ornate princess shoes with opulent detailing”

1. Back detailing While mules may be having a moment, elsewhere embellishment is focused firmly on the backs of shoes, with frills and florals making a strong case for court shoes and strappy sandals. Liven up a much-loved LBD with a pair of these statement stilettos. Topshop Rosebud Applique Stiletto Sandals, £46

3. Fairytale heels

1. Frilled sandals Frilly, but not too fussy - that’s the sandal mantra right now. So think stilettos in punchy hues or metallics, paired with tough-girl ripped jeans and the latest Nineties revival, the ‘going out top’. Extra points if you can work a bit of tulle or velvet into the mix. V by Very Gisele Asymmetric Frill Heeled Pink Sandals, £32, Very.co.uk

2. Next-level trainers

Minimalist mules, move over - right now it’s all about ornate princess shoes with opulent detailing. Basically, if they look like they could have fallen off Cinderella’s foot at midnight, you’re on the right track. You’d needn’t reserve these beauts for balls, however. Wear metallic mules with a pleated midi skirt and cropped tee for daytime princess vibes. Dune Delights Champagne Mules, £95

4. Sporty sandals Like the pool sliders trend but want a bit of lift? Then these chunky sandals are for you. Cool and comfy but not so massive that they veer into Spice Girls territory, they’ll become your holiday staples. Dune Kassius Silver Sandals, £80

The humble white trainer gets a makeover this season with floral prints, embroidery and all kinds of embellishment turning this daywear staple from boring to bling. A pair of pimped-up kicks updates a simple jeans and bardot top combo, or punctuates an all-black-everything ensemble. Jones Bootmaker Gemini White Trainers, £47

All images courtesy of PA Photo/Handout

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FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Live life in Grace C

Grace Belgravia is London’s only health, wellbeing and lifestyle club for women built on the philosophy that to thrive in today’s busy world we need to invest in our greatest asset, our health.

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reating the blueprint for true health, Grace is led by a team of internationally recognised medical experts and therapists with preventative medicine and ageing well informing every aspect of the Club. The combination of a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, medical support, deliciously healthy fine dining, luxury spa, specialist gym and elegant décor makes Grace Belgravia the perfect destination in London, any time of day. It is a Club where women feel both calm and energised, inspired to go out into the world and be the very best versions of themselves and enjoy true wellness. Grace Belgravia’s balanced approach to optimal health is tailor made to all individuals. The Medical Clinic led by Dr Tim Evans, Apothecary to Her Majesty The Queen, provides world-class healthcare delivered by a team of leading experts, each providing a personal, specialist approach to medicine and wellness, while helping you to achieve a healthy focused lifestyle. The Clinic offers environmental and nutritional medicine, female GPs specialising in bio identical hormone therapies; cosmetic medicine and laser treatments, acupuncture and hypnotherapy to combat stress; nutrition consultations to settle dietary issues, as well as physiotherapy, podiatry and osteopathy. The Grace Wellness Spa provides a peaceful environment in which to relax, unwind and recalibrate. An integrated team of renowned master and specialist therapists has been carefully selected for their advanced, signature treatments earning Grace Belgravia a reputation as one of the best wellness spas in London. Grace Belgravia has brought together the best of the best under one roof to provide a comprehensive range of face, body and grooming treatments. Guests will discover treatments they won’t find anywhere else in London, including Capri Palace Leg School®; the natural face and

body lifts of our Japanese therapists, both qualified osteopaths; internationally acclaimed Margy’s Monte Carlo skincare, naturally uplifting facial reflexology; alongside expert therapists featured in Tatler, Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, Elle and more. Everything about the Grace gym has been designed with the female body in mind. All 100 complimentary classes, personal training sessions and nutrition programmes, fit in with the overall integrated approach to wellbeing of the Club. With their newest programme, The Body Revolution, Grace is taking responsibility for all aspects of your physical and mental transformation, offering tailored one to one guidance and coordination from Jason Reynolds, senior personal trainer and women’s health and rehab expert. Jason and the Grace team will be on hand to guide you through every stage of the 6-12 week programme collaborating with nutritionists and medical practitioners to provide the treatments and support you need to achieve your goals and implement life-long habits. Delicious taste and balanced nutrition really do live as one in The Grace Restaurant as the menus combine fresh, raw and revitalising ingredients. By day, the restaurant is a vibrant eatery for business meetings, post work out snacks, a place to relax or socialise with friends. There is a wide range of satisfying dishes, snacks, smoothies and juices all designed to enhance mood, create energy and boost both beauty and brain. By night, the lights dim, the candles alight and it turns into the perfect dining destination in Belgravia where members can bring male and female guests to relish superfood cocktails, sharing platters or fresh flavoured cuisine with signature twists. It’s time to live life in Grace. To enquire about membership please contact membership@gracebelgravia.com or call (+44(0) 207 235 8900 (+4) www.gracebelgravia.com

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

These potent powders must be activated with water in order to release their glow-giving powers. Did you know that some skincare products are a lot like vegetables? Hear me out on this one…WORDS: Katie Wright, Press Association

BRIGHTEN I

n the same way you should steam carrots instead of boiling them in water to preserve the vitamin content, some formulas are packed with powerful, but delicate nutrients that have to be kept dry to maintain their potency. These powder-based serums need to be mixed with liquid so that the vitamins and actives can penetrate your skin and deliver maximum benefits. And the benefits can be truly remarkable. Use an activated product as a temporary booster treatment over a few weeks and you can expect to see a clearer, calmer and altogether brighter complexion. So keep munching on those veggies to soothe your skin from the inside, and complement your five-a-day with a pick from this nutritious selection...

Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C With 10% vitamin C, this is the highest concentration of any product from the brand. One vial gives you seven days of serum (to be mixed with your regular moisturiser), so it never loses its glow-giving potency. £58, Clinique

No7 Youthful Vitamin C Fresh Radiance Essence New from the ever-reliable No7, this twice-daily serum, which contains 5% vitamin C, has had impressive clinical trial results: after two weeks, 91% of women said their skin looked more radiant. £19.50, Boots

Sarah Chapman Stem Cell Collagen Activator Duo Focusing on firming and smoothing, this dual formula mixes powdered stem cells with a peptide-rich serum, the pair combining to boost collagen production. £149, Space NK

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Vitamin C 10 Day Glow Boosting Concentrate Drop the vitamin C powder into the an aloe vera-rich serum to create a super-strength booster, but be sure to use it within a week when the actives are at their peak. £17, The Body Shop

Radiance Boosting Powder Mix this powder with water in your palm to create a gently exfoliating cleanser that comes with added nutrient extras by way of rose petals and jasmine. £38, Diptyque

Skincare Rejuvenating Powder Serum Packed with vitamins and minerals, this powder, which can be mixed with any moisturiser, promotes younger-looking skin. £32, Bath Spa

Advanced Renewal Infusion Serum Delivering an intense burst of hydration via a patented hydrogenbased Energy Complex, this fourweek treatment should be used a few times a year when your skin needs it most. £210, Perricone MD

White Balance Click Oxy-R If pigmentation is your primary concern, you’ll love the brightening effects of oxyreservatrol, which is found in this small, but mighty solution. £59, Medik8

3 in 1 Maca Mask With vitamins derived from Baobab fruit, this clay-based mask soothes and revitalises at the same time, and can be mixed with water or natural yoghurt. £20, Odylique

Main image: PA Photo/thinkstockphotos. All images courtesy of PA Photo/Handout

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Michael Kors

buys Jimmy Choo

in £896m deal

ichael Kors has been doing a little shopping – and has picked out some new shoes to go with its handbags. The American label and has acquired the British luxury brand co-founded in 1996 by Malaysia-born London-based bespoke shoemaker Jimmy Choo and former Vogue journalist Tamara Mellon. Michael Kors was among several companies in the running to purchase the luxury accessories brand but walked away with the grand prize. Michael Kors has been struggling in recent quarters with declining store sales as fewer people visit its shops. In response, it has expanded into dresses and menswear, and invested in its online business. Analysts said the deal would add prestige to Michael Kors, a more affordable upmarket brand, helping it move into the higher echelons of the global market. Michael Kors also has its eye on men’s footwear, saying in the deal announcement that Jimmy Choo is “adding a twist to classic shapes” in men’s evening shoes. “Women’s shoes are at the heart of this leading fashion luxury house complemented by accessories,” said Michael Kors Chief Executive John Idol. “In addition, the company has built a significant credibility in men’s footwear with an assortment that extends from evening to active styles.” Retail sales of men’s designer footwear have grown faster than women’s designer shoes over the last three years, according to Euromonitor International, a market research provider. Still, women’s luxury footwear is the bigger market, generating $17.7 billion in 2016. Men’s luxury shoes generated $9.6 billion in global retail sales last year. Michael Kors, the New York City fashion designer who founded the brand in 1981, remains on the board of the company as its honorary chairman and chief creative officer. He described Jimmy Choo as “a premier fashion luxury house that offers distinctive footwear, handbags and other accessories”. He added “We admire the glamorous style and trend-setting nature of Jimmy Choo designs.” And Michael Kors is likely to continue its shopping spree. “This will not be [Michael Kors’] last acquisition,” CEO John Idol told CNBC in a phone interview shortly after the deal was announced. www.michaelkors.co.uk

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This image and above: Michael Kors takes to the streets of London for their Autumn Winter 2017 collection; Left: Michael Kors

Michael Kors store, Regent Street

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

REVOLUTIONARY INTERACTIVE WORKOUT LAUNCHES IN LONDON

The new Harbour Club Kensington has opened on Cromwell Road following a £5.5m transformation – and it is one of the most extraordinary clubs in London. Packed full with innovative ways to keep fit and healthy with your family.

t is also the first club in London to offer the new training concept, PRAMA. The PRAMA studio uses interactive screens, pressure sensitive floors and walls and times your sprints all whilst tracking your heart rate. “No treadmills. No rower. No exercise bike. PRAMA combines great instructors, light and music with workouts designed for training strength, speed, agility and more. PRAMA interacts directly with your movement and puts the play back into training. Whether it’s your feet hitting the floor, or hands pressing the wall, the sensors will interact with you however you choose to move.” Marcos Requena, Founder of PAVIGYM explains. The PRAMA studio is set out with stations and in a similar format to a circuits class, participants move between stations at set times. As the brightly coloured, interactive floor lights up to guide class members, they will run, skip, crawl and lunge across the studio, chasing the lights and dropping to the floor to touch lit-up stations. It can be programmed to suit different abilities, meaning it’s perfect for everything from agility and strength training to families exercising together. When parents visit with their kids aged five and

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THE DETAILS For more details visit www.harbourclub.com/clubs/ kensington Point West, 116 Cromwell Road, Kensington, London, SW7 4XR Members: 020 7341 6400 Non-Members: 0345 129 6709 Members Email: kensington@harbourclub.co.uk

over the sequence of workouts changes to a slower paced combination of moves that sees kids doing hopscotch and families working in tandem to run and touch walls or targets on the floor. Those who want to use PRAMA for agility training, the class can be programmed to a faster pace with progressively harder exercises, so that participants can achieve that high intensity workout whilst prompted by the lights to move faster, lunge deeper and use heavier weights. Throughout the workout, the moves are shown on LCD screens so that class participants know exactly what to do at each station. A countdown clock indicates to participants how long they have left at each station. Sinead Johnson, Group Family Manager for Harbour Clubs explains, ‘The Kensington Harbour Club has been designed with families in mind, and the new state of the art PRAMA studio means that everyone can get a great workout together. PRAMA is truly unique combining great instructors, lights and music with workouts designed for all levels of fitness. There’s a combination of interactive screens and pressure sensitive flooring and lighting, tracking your heart rate and guiding your movements to put the play back into training. Our PRAMA programmes are designed for everyone to enjoy together, from energetic five year olds to our sassy senior members.’ PRAMA is now available at The Harbour Club Kensington and is free for members.

Caravaggio Bridal Collection by Art Masters Jewelry Caravaggio Bridal Collection by Art Masters Jewelry $2,399 | Art Masters Caravaggio 950 Platinum 1.25 Ct Princess Black and White Diamond Engagement Ring R623P-PLATDBD ۲,۳۹۹$ | Art Masters Caravaggio ۹٥۰ Platinum ۱٫۲٥ Ct Princess Black and White Diamond Engagement Ring R٦۲۳P-PLATDBD Elegant and chic, this Caravaggio Platinum Diamond Engagement Ring evokes absolute glamour and style, and Elegant is sure toand delight discriminating feminine taste. Flashy andRing tastefully your special moment, chic, the thismost Caravaggio Platinum Diamond Engagement evokesdesigned absolutefor glamour and style, this gorgeous a sight and to behold. and is sure to delight the most discriminating feminine ring taste.isFlashy tastefully designed for your special moment, this gorgeous ring is a sight to behold.

ArtMastersJewelry.com ArtMastersJewelry.com

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

BUMPER COLLECTION FROM BALENO FOR A/W 2017

ountry living enthusiasts are in for a treat with the arrival of the Autumn / Winter designer range from Baleno, the brand renowned for combining practical, reliable functionality with effortless sophisticated style.

Stars of the latest seasonal collection for women include: Angelina For an uber elegant look, the striking Angelina waxed gilet is a must-have. Water repellent and featuring robust brass zips and closures, this winter essential is available in Dark Earth or Cognac and is finished with a classic detachable faux fur collar.

Hero designs for men this Autumn / Winter from Baleno include: Dolman A traditional gilet with quilted shoulders in durable Alcantara (suede effect) featuring roomy pockets and handy openings, ideal for the country gent! Available in pine green or mink.

Hadley The men’s version of the traditional diamond quilted jacket but with beautiful contemporary styling and tasteful detailing. Available in Navy Blue and Brown.

Adele The Adele is the gilet version of the Julia, providing a lighter weight garment with additional freedom of movement. Chelsea A definite coat rather than jacket, the Chelsea offers the best of both worlds. Ultimate weather protection courtesy of the waterproof / windproof / breathable fabric (with taped seams to ensure no uncomfortable trickling of rain through the seams) but with no sacrifice on style thanks to the flattering tailored fit. The Chelsea is the ultimate winter wardrobe piece and is available in either Terracotta, Camel or Navy. Alice Proving it is possible to keep warm AND still look on trend, the Alice is a light, yet cosy down jacket (featuring 3M® Thinsulate featherless insulation) with leather trim details and a detachable faux fur trim for the collar. Available in Navy Blue, Cognac and Black. Hot accessories Keep super warm this winter with Baleno’s faux fur accessories: Grace – an elasticated faux fur headband; Diaz – a faux fur scarf with a neat clip and loop system providing a choice of accessorising options and Vida, a faux fur buff. In addition to the seasonal designs, Baleno has incorporated a new colourway into its women’s clothing. The hugely popular Cheltenham and Ascot jackets and Scarlet and Sally gilets are now also available in a warming shade of Plum. Baleno for Kids

Julia A fresh take on the traditional diamond quilted country jacket, the lightly insulated Julia is a headturner, featuring a quirky Corduroy trim, making it a hit for both country casual and city chic occasions. Available in Navy Blue, Brown and Cream. 114 AUGUST 2017

This year Baleno is extending its signature hardwearing, cosy fleece gilets and jackets to include children’s sizes. The Cody fleece jacket with faux suede trim is available in Navy Blue and the Wizz fleece gilet is available in Navy Blue, Khaki and Burgundy. www.baleno.be

Livingstone Baleno’s version of the iconic Aussie Outback Drover style coat with a contemporary twist. Full length waterproof / windproof & breathable with taped seams, this smart cover-up over-delivers on fit-for-purpose credentials paired with sharp designer flair. Available in Camel and Earth Brown. Charles New luxury soft touch men’s fleece with a wool-like appearance and suede-effect trim. Available in Moss Green and Slate Grey. Harrison Gilet version of Charles fleece.

the

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Five reasons to work out at home

Please quote LL817 for 7.5% OFF

lthough a gym membership may seem like the ticket to fitness success, this simply isn’t the best option for many of us. With today’s busy lifestyles, more and more people are choosing to train at home. Proving more practical and effective, here are just a few reasons why… 1. Time is on YOUR side - When you’re a gym member, you have to fit your regime around opening hours and equipment availability, not to mention other gym members! When you have equipment at home, you can exercise whenever it suits you. Plus, with no travel to consider, you can complete your workout that bit faster. 2. No distractions – When it comes to working out, most of us just want to get on and focus. Small talk can be distracting and annoying. At home, nobody will disturb you. Plus, you’re always first in line to your equipment and you can hog it for as long as you please! 3. Create your personal workout haven When you have your own workout space, you don’t have to worry about anyone’s needs. You can set 116 AUGUST 2017

up your equipment exactly how you like, listen to whatever music you like (as loud as you like), and you’re in charge of what equipment you have. You can do your research to find the best brands and know that you’re using equipment that you trust and will deliver the best results. 4. Save money - The cost of a gym membership adds up over time and we often don’t get the full benefit. Exercising at home, you can choose key pieces to suit your budget, which means a great investment. Once you have what you need, you can add to your personal collection as and when you want to. And you don’t have to spend a fortune either. There are fantastic options to suit all budgets, as well as plenty of inexpensive functional pieces that can really complement your training, such as resistance bands, kettlebells, dumbbells and medicine balls. 5. You don’t need loads of space - Home fitness equipment is always evolving to make it more practical for smaller spaces. Folding treadmills, rowers and compact multi-gyms are designed for tighter spaces, and free weights are incredibly versatile but space-efficient.

Need some inspiration? If you can, it’s always a good idea to try before you buy. Fitness Superstore has 11 UK stores, with two based in London (Colindale and Wandsworth). Their sales advisors have a genuine interest in fitness, with many coming from a sporting or personal training background. They would be more than happy to discuss your individual training needs and help you choose the right options to reach your goals. www.fitness-superstore.co.uk

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

POTION LONDON

at harvey nichols

The luxury wellness brand disrupting the beauty industry, available exclusively at Harvey Nichols stores nationwide and online

he Potion London range is an invaluable part of any beauty, health and fitness regime; addressing that â€˜we are what we eatâ€™ with products that give beauty from within, boost the immune system and support strong bones, muscles and joints. The beauty specific products in the range include anti-ageing collagen, skin plumping hyaluronic acid, and a specifically targeted beauty boosting supplement which contains all the vitamins and minerals needed for clear and youthful skin, healthy hair and strong nails.

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The range also specialises in general health and fitness targeted formulas; a probiotic with supporting prebiotic for good gut health, a whole foods super greens formula packed with nutrientrich superfoods like spirulina, kale and beetroot, a strong bones formula to feed bones and muscles, and the hyaluronic acid complex supports healthy joints. Gone is the need for a cupboard full of supplements; Potion London will make lives easier by addressing each specific concern in one-aday supplements. The range has been specially developed by nutritionists to include the optimum nutritional intake for each particular requirement. Harvey Nichols, 109 - 125 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7RJ; 020 7235 5000; www.harveynichols.com

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

THE FAST TRACK WAY TO

A NEW YOU Alevere Therapy was developed by doctors to help patients lose weight fast and completely reshape their bodies.

so they know exactly how much they can eat. Alevere Managing director Anne Welford said: “Patients are having not just their bodies but their lives completely transformed by Alevere Therapy. It is a genuinely radical treatment that is helping people in ways they never believed was possible. Their new confidence is a joy to see.” www.alevere.com

t 28 clinics across the UK, genuinely dramatic, life-changing results are achieved. The therapy works by launching a two-pronged attack on fat. The diet part of it makes sure patients lose weight while staying healthy, and has been designed to make sure they eat often and don’t feel hungry. Then, state-of-the-art treatments are given to them to melt away stubborn areas of fat and smooth and tighten their skin. This combination means it is possible, unlike with traditional diets, to target those areas where the weight needs to come off. The result is not just a slim body - patients can lose up to two stones a month - but one that has been completely reshaped. The Alevere food plan is easy to follow and is based on high-quality protein which even includes specially created crisps and pizza. The company, which is based in Leeds but has clinics in London, Manchester and across England and Scotland, treats hundreds of men and women every week. Once the weight is lost, patients go onto a stabilisation programme to make sure they do not regain it and their new metabolic rate is worked out 120 AUGUST 2017

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Focus on…

Health screeningpart 2

In the sixth of our regular features from The London General Practice, Dr Angela Rai discusses the benefits and importance of bowel cancer screening.

“B

owel cancer or colorectal cancer is the development of cancer in the large intestine and rectum. One of the most common types of cancer diagnosed in the UK, if detected early before symptoms arise treatment is more likely to be successful. In the UK the bowel screening programme for men and women aged between 60-74 comprises a Faecal Occult Blood (FOB) test. A stool sample is collected and the test looks for small amounts of blood in the faeces. If the test is positive further investigations will be arranged by your doctor. Screening tests are not one hundred percent accurate as there can be false negative or false positive results. Patients over 50 years of age can consider earlier screening as treatment is more effective at an earlier stage. There are also tests which detect polyps in the bowel. Polyps are collections of premalignant cells that gather and grow in the colon and can become cancerous over time. Detection by colonoscopy is where a narrow flexible tube with a camera on the tip is used to assess the lining of the large bowel. This procedure requires the bowel to be cleansed beforehand by special laxative medication and

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during the colonoscopy polyps or cancer can be biopsied or removed. Virtual Colonoscopy, also known as CT colonography, is a less invasive procedure using low dose radiation CT scanning to obtain an interior view of the colon. Bowel preparation is still required but fewer laxatives may be necessary and sedation can be avoided. CT colonography is less invasive than a colonoscopy because the test does not involve inserting a tube all the way around the colon and is less disruptive to daily activity. The following symptoms can be signs of bowel cancer (however it is also important to remember that many patients that have these symptoms do not necessarily have bowel cancer); you should seek medical advice if you experience unexplained weight loss, a change in bowel habit lasting 3 weeks or more, persistent abdominal pain, or persistent rectal bleeding. You may experience one or more of these symptoms. There is evidence to suggest that the risks of bowel cancer may be reduced by stopping smoking, reducing alcohol, reducing red and processed meat in your diet and consuming more dietary fibre from whole grains, fruit and vegetables and drinking plenty of water.”

THE DETAILS

The London General Practice offers a wide range of Health screening including checks for bowel or colorectal cancer.

The London General Practice 114a Harley Street, London W1G 7JL (Entrance on Devonshire Street; between Harley Street and Portland Place) Tel: 0207 935 1000

Private GP services www.thelondongeneralpractice.com Occupational Health and Corporate Health Services www.londonocchealth.com

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

You can benefit from exceptional healthcare Bupa Cromwell Hospital has an international reputation for excellence, yet Londoners may not be aware that all of the hospital’s services are also available to them, regardless of whether or not they have insurance cover

s Bupa’s only UK hospital, the Cromwell constantly invests in state-ofthe-art equipment, has highly-trained clinical and support service staff, and attracts specialists who are leaders in their fields. ‘Self paying’ Londoners can benefit from exceptional healthcare in a highly convenient location with no waiting times. From GP services (no appointments required), to health screens, paediatrics, cancer treatment and general surgery, all services are available. Philip Luce, General Manager at Bupa Cromwell Hospital, comments; ‘Whether you are coming to

see one of our specialists for a medical procedure, visiting an in-house GP, or looking for a convenient local clinic for a health assessment, we offer the very best facilities and quality of care. ‘Because we offer top doctors, specialists, diagnostic equipment and support services like physiotherapy under one roof, we can cater for the vast majority of outpatient needs in a single location.’ Health assessments are particularly popular with self-pay Londoners, and Bupa Cromwell Hospital provides tailored assessments to suit every budget. From the comprehensive Executive Screen to the gold standard Premier screen, these provide a detailed picture of your physical health and help you to make positive lifestyle choices. Health assessments can be carried out at the Women’s Health Centre, which offers female consultants in all specialities, complete privacy, and a comfortable environment with free refreshments and WiFi. Elements of the Premier screen meanwhile can take place in the hospital’s exclusive VIP suites. Bupa Cromwell Hospital is located in the heart of Kensington and Chelsea, just a short walk from High Street Kensington, Gloucester Road and Earl’s Court.

“Because we offer top doctors, specialists, diagnostic equipment and support services like physiotherapy under one roof, we can cater for the vast majority of outpatient needs in a single location” 126 AUGUST 2017

For more information about Bupa Cromwell Hospital visit the website at www.bupacromwellhospital.com

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Private GP Surgery at Parkside Hospital P

arkside Hospital’s long-standing aim has always been to be your friendly local hospital on Wimbledon Common. An aim which is supported by over 300 specialist consultants, available to see you with little or no waiting. Recently they have further expanded their services and have introduced a new Private GP Surgery to meet the needs and requirements of the local community. As healthcare specialists with over 30 years of experience, they understand that when you’re not quite feeling yourself or you have a healthcare worry, you want to be seen quickly and at a time convenient to you. To accommodate this demand they have launched a Private GP Surgery with a team of highly experienced GPs who are available 6 days a week, with the ease of access to any tests, x-rays and further diagnostics.

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Parkside’s Private GP Surgery is available to anyone, whether you’ve previously attended the hospital or not. The beauty of their Private GP consultation is that they offer you the choice and flexibility to access the service as a one-off or regularly, and offer more time to discuss your concerns. Their Private GPs can provide all the medical care you would expect to receive from your NHS GP, with the additional reassurance that you will be seeing a highly experienced doctor for an appointment that will be confidential, convenient and not rushed. In addition any investigations, prescriptions or onward referrals to their specialist consultants can be conveniently completed under one roof. For more information or to book an appointment call 020 8971 8026 today.

“Parkside’s GP Surgery is available to anyone, whether you’ve previously attended the hospital or not”

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

“I just look so old. The market’s full of youngsters in their 20s, I can’t believe that any interviewer will take me seriously”

Introducing…

My very own(It’sfacelift procedure non-surgical!)

hen Susanna came to see me she was stuck in a rut. In her mid-40s, she had been working as a supply teacher for several years. Although she was desperate to apply for more permanent and more senior jobs, she lacked the self-confidence to do so. Susanna was convinced that the loose skin on her face made her look far older than she really was, and that interviewers would discriminate against her because of her age. While she was desperate for a cosmetic procedure to tighten her skin and restore her looks, she was also very nervous about her pupils and colleagues knowing she’d had work done. It was vital, she said, that any change was as subtle as possible. In the meanwhile, she scoured the industry press for adverts for permanent teaching positions – and applied for none of them. It was around that time that I finished developing my very own non-surgical face-lifting technique, called the R-Lift. It is so revolutionary that, I’m delighted to announce, last month we received a trademark for it! I started thinking about the technique four years

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ago, when I began seeing lots of people with what I call “the pillow look”. Their cheeks had been filled out in an effort to lift their skin, making them look, to my mind, a bit like hamsters. It was trendy at the time (!), but I knew that it wasn’t right for our patients, who wanted a much more natural look. Over the subsequent 18 months, I worked to develop a procedure that gave the same effect as a facelift, but without patients having to go under the knife; using a minimum number of needles; and at a fraction of the cost. Most importantly, it needed to leave patients looking normal – not fake. With the R-Lift we inject small amounts of dermal fillers into as few as two points on either side of the face. Unlike ordinary fillers, we run a cannula beneath the skin’s surface, to release the fibrous bands that fuse skin to muscle and this fades deep wrinkles. The minimal use of needles means pain is unlikely - 99% of patients don’t require any anesthetic and bruising is extremely rare. It also meant we could keep the cost down to £900 at the lower end. And the results? The R-Lift refreshes and restores your skin, making you look younger – but still like you. People won’t know you’ve had anything done, they’ll just think you’re looking great. Take Susana. She had the R-Lift about 18 months ago, and hasn’t looked back since. Within weeks, she noticed such a difference that she had the confidence and self-assurance to apply for the jobs she had previously shied away from. That insecure and self-doubting teacher who had approached me months before was given a permanent teaching job soon after. When I heard from her recently, she had been given additional responsibilities.

This procedure is only available here at Riverbanks. If you’d like to find out more, please hit ‘reply’. We’re really excited about the new trademark, and would love to tell you more about how it can help you look fabulous, too.

Dr Rav i Jain

For more information visit my informative website www.riverbanksclinic.co.uk and subscribe to my email list. Or if you would like to schedule a consultation with one of my aesthetic doctors call 01582762877 to book in.

HOuse & garden – A collection of London’s finest interior companies – i m age : M ATT LIVS E Y HA M M OND

H OUSE & GARDEN

Sleep in the ultimate comfort with an adjustable bed from Westend Bed Company

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inding the right bed can do wonders for your physical and mental health. Sleeping on the correct style of bed allows your body to be fully supported, which means your muscles and joints can relax, enabling you to enter the Deep Sleep Stage of the Sleep Cycle. During Deep Sleep, your brain can ‘de-frag’ and store useful information from the day in the long term memory part of the brain. Being able to go through the entire Sleep Cycle also allows your body and mind to fully relax and recuperate meaning you wake up refreshed and ready for the day which is why finding the right bed for your individual requirements is vital. Sleeping on an adjustable bed allows you to alter your sleeping position to your exact requirements – even if these change over time. The team at Westend Bed Company are delighted to offer a collection of adjustable beds exclusively available in their London showroom. The market-leading Nottinblú PBS Fluid is the world’s most advanced bed system and Westend Bed Company is the only showroom in the UK to offer this bed and the first showroom in the world to showcase it to customers. Its breakthrough design employs a friction-free, hydraulic circuit to automatically self-adjust to the weight, shape and movements of the body. Its motions are fluid and the comfort perfect. The Nottinblú is the only PBS system which has been designed and conceived in Italy, and combines physics with exceptional engineering skills. Westend Bed Company also offers a simulator in their showroom where customers can experience the difference between the support a regular base gives in comparison to how the PBS system works. This revolutionary simulator helps to give customers a better idea of what they should be thinking about when making decisions on the most important topic of sleep. Over the past 80 years, Treca Interiors Paris has been dedicated to meeting the exacting requirements of international clients who appreciate French-made quality, personal service and customised products. What makes Treca Interiors Paris stand out is their use of the finest and rarest raw materials,

“Being able to go through the entire Sleep Cycle also allows your body and mind to fully relax and recuperate meaning you wake up refreshed and ready for the day”

THE DETAILS To find out more about our collection of adjustable beds and to arrange your complimentary Sleep Consultation, call us on 020 7723 2925 or visit our store at 215 Upper Richmond Road West, East Sheen, London, SW14 8QT. For more information, visit www.westendbedcompany.com

hand-finishing techniques and the ability to choose personal specifications and dimensions. Ensuring they are consistently improving the quality and comfort of their beds, Treca Interiors Paris has pioneered articulated relaxation beds with the CAD bed base. They now offer two lines of articulated bases which combine the comfort of a traditional high quality bed base with an outstanding movement mechanism. The Supercad adjustable bed from Treca Interiors Paris is now available to experience in Westend Bed Company’s purpose-built Sleep Room. Adjustable beds are a saving grace for those suffering with back pain. Adjustable mechanisms allow the bed to be specifically altered to match the contours of the body. This helps prevent the chances of getting sciatica – a condition where the sciatic nerve gets trapped near the base of the spine. Supporting the spine’s base keeps the spine aligned and helps prevent the chances of trapping a nerve. Do you snore in your sleep or suffer from sleep apnoea? An adjustable bed could be the answer to your sleep woes. Snoring occurs when your windpipe closes due to the weight of your neck. During your sleep, the air moving through a constricted windpipe creates a snoring sound. Altering your sleep position on an adjustable bed enables your windpipe to remain unobstructed reducing the chances of snoring and improving the quality of your sleep – and those around you! Adjusting your sleeping position can also help ease sleep apnoea which occurs when you wake up throughout the night due to interrupted breathing. As well as this being bad for your sleep quality, it could also be dangerous if it causes you to stop breathing for too long. Although an adjustable bed may not necessarily cure sleep apnoea it will help to relieve the pressure on your windpipe. For all cases of sleep apnoea, we would always recommend a consultation with your doctor. At Westend Bed Company, we offer every customer a complimentary Sleep Consultation. These Consultations involve a lifestyle evaluation and sleep analysis to help you find the ideal style, model and support system for your personal requirements.

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H OUSE & GARDEN

[NEWS]

INTERIORS Desert Chic Style at Cult Furniture You don’t have to endure sky high temperatures heat to enjoy the warmth of a desert home. Modern desert-chic interiors have us truly caught up in their sandstorm! Whether you live in Arizona or Anglesey, a desertinspired home is only a few steps away. Visit Cult Furniture to get a handle on a few key elements of this visually compelling look. Opt for warm metallic hues, rich woods and playful patterns. Keep the theme grounded and ultramodern with a neutral fabrics and cool dashes of marble. www.cultfurniture.com

FLORAL NOTES Whether you adorn your walls with blossom or style your sofa with water lilies – transform your home into a floral paradise with a range of cushions, wallpaper, mirrors and dividers from the new Eastern Alchemy collection. We love this double sided cushion which shows colourful birds sitting on blossom and branches with a sky blue background. Finished off with pink piping. www.arthouse.com

Bloomingville Sooji Palm Print Ceramic Mug; £7

Cult Design Moda Armchair CD1 Copper – Grey; £89

POSTER POWER Interest in Brutalist and modernist architecture is undergoing a major revival. This stunning collection of poster art created by an architect turned illustrator will thrill fans of architecture and London alike. From the National Theatre on the Southbank, to Willow Road in Hampstead, Sarah Evans, the architect and designer behind Oscar Francis, has captured the patterns and textures that make Brutalist and modernist architecture so intriguing, creating images that celebrate the pure aesthetics of these forwardthinking, utopian designs. Reproduced with stunning clarity and on high quality paper, these pullout pages will make ideal wall decorations for anyone who loves modernist architecture. Oscar Francis is a Londonbased studio creating bold graphics inspired by the city founded by architect turned illustrator Sarah Evans. Release date: October 15, 2017 136 AUGUST 2017

Bloomingville Cactus Square Reversible Cotton Cushion; £29

H OUSE & GARDEN

Ferrari and Poltrona Frau present “Cockpit”, the new office chair

errari and Poltrona Frau recently presented “Cockpit”, the first office chair ever design by Ferrari Design Centre. Produced by Poltrona Frau, that has upholstered the interiors of Ferrari cars since the 80’, it is neither a car seat nor a pure piece of furniture or design. It is a contemporary hybrid that

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brings together two brands, a blend of automotive know-how and the culture of living that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Maranello carmaker. An office chair that captures the excitement, the speed of the driver’s seat, as well as the passion for racing. The armchair has an architectural and modular structure, and offers expansion possibilities. For the moment two versions are available, the President and the Executive. Both comprise a reclining base and seat, integrated with two different backrests. The President is the managerial model with a high backrest that is inspired by the ergonomics of competitive racing seats. The Executive model, a chair that adapts to all work contexts, has a deliberately low and narrow backrest to ensure more freedom of movement. The design of “Cockpit a” synthesis of automotive innovation and inspiration and the materials are the same as those used in Ferrari cars, like the external shell moulded from carbon or alutex. The central band on the seat takes its cue from racing seats, while the swivel device sports the same design and mechanical elements as the steering wheel. For the leather upholstery, the Ferrari Design Centre team has chosen shades and finishes inspired by the trim of the three Tailor-Made service lines, which allow for the personalized configuration of the car: Scuderia, Classica and Inedita. Cockpit can also be customised in terms of its colors and materials. www.ferrari.com J U LY 2 0 1 7 1 3 8

BEAUTY IN THE DETAIL

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ounded over 23 years ago, Matt Livsey Hammond Ltd have firmly established an impressive portfolio of work and an enviable international reputation as crafters of fine metalwork. With a dazzling and eclectic catalogue of projects ranging from sweeping balustrades in palaces, hotels and private homes to bespoke furniture and lighting pieces which are sculptural in their detail and beauty, the company specialise in filigree work, curving balustrades, furniture, lighting, mirrors, interior gates and ornamentation. All pieces are handmade to the highest standards combining traditional blacksmith arts, carving and casting methods with modern hi-tech production techniques where appropriate. A wide range of metals can be worked including wrought and cast iron, steel, bronze, aluminium, copper and brass, incorporating other natural materials such as glass, wood, stone and precious stones where the design calls for it. A wide range of finishes is available including chemical patination, clear and coloured waxing, specialist paint finishing, gilding and plating. Recent commissions have included elaborate curving balustrades for a French chateau, luxury Verbier chalet and magnificent Mayfair townhouse, along with finely sculptured super-sofas, interior gates and enormous steel, wood and glass cabinets for a London mansion. Recent commercial work has included ornate balustrading and bespoke chandeliers for a Venetian style restaurant in St James, Piccadilly. Current projects are varied and include a sweeping balustrade and gates for the grandest of villas in Kazakhstan, a solid bronze balustrade for a house on the Wentworth Estate, and an 80 metre balustrade for a mansion on the Bishopâ€™s Avenue. Matt and his specialised team of craftsmen are passionate about their work, and the trademark appearance is one of elegance, balance and fluidity. The detailed quality and artistsâ€™ attention to detail are evident in every piece of work, whether on the scale of the ornate baroque staircase balustrading commissioned for a palace, or the delicate filigree ornamentation ordered to complement a piece of furniture. The teamâ€™s enthusiasm and commitment are evident in every project, and they are delighted to have been commissioned to supply metalwork and furniture for some of the most exclusive properties in the UK and around the world.

Matt Livsey Hammond Ltd provides a complete service from design and construction to fitting and finishing. However an advisory and design-only service is also available. www.mattlivseyhammond.co.uk

DIODAVIES.COM

H OUSE & GARDEN

“One of the most popular Old Boot designs is the Chesterfield, a true classic”

Traditionalist? Old Boot Sofas are all about style, quality and comfort. One of the most popular Old Boot designs is the Chesterfield, a true classic. Chesterfield sofas are timeless and with the Old Boot twist, they come with extra deep seats, extra comfy cushions and are made to last. With comfort and durability combined, an Old Boot Chesterfield is ideal for families, especially a large one!

Attention Seeker? Recognised for their specially developed and exclusive leathers, Old Boot’s sofas speak for themselves. A majestic leather Chesterfield would be perfect as any room’s centrepiece. These Chesterfields deserve space to radiate; don’t cramp their style by surrounding them with too much furniture! The beauty of leather is it is a natural material and holds it’s own individual character; why not enhance it with scatter cushions throws?

Big Softie? Old Boot cushions are made with a foam core encased with feather and down topping, the perfect combination for you to sink into. This means that not only do they provide ultimate comfort, but they keep a slightly rustic crumpled look. On top of this, they will retain their shape better! Give them a plump every now and again for maximum sinking comfort.

How big? When deciding on a sofa, a good tip is to mark out the desired area on the floor with masking tape. You can then take a step back and see how well it fits. Moving a sofa through narrow hallways, doorways and awkward staircases can prove to be tricky. Be sure to measure doorways and ceiling heights (especially the stair ceiling!). If you’re not sure, send Old Boot some photos of the access, or email for some advice. Luckily for you, Old Boot have developed removable bolt-on arms that mean you get your beautiful Chesterfield into even the trickiest of rooms, with no damage to surroundings or the sofa. 142 AUGUST 2017

STYLE MEETS COMFORT

Sofa beds? Invaluable for putting up guests and great space savers, sofa beds can be a godsend. However, a truly great sofa bed is a rare find. Why compromise style for comfort, or vice versa? Old Boot’s Chesterfield sofa beds have both. Strength, comfort and style, these are the perfect sofa beds in disguise.

Try before you buy? Old Boot believes it’s important that your sofa fits you perfectly and you feel it is the right choice for you. If you don’t manage to pop into the Fulham showroom on and decide to order direct online, Old Boot’s policy is to collect and refund, at no cost to you! Old Boot Limited, 152 Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham London SW6 2UH; 020 77363738 www.oldbootsofas.com

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Make the most of your British Summer this year! they challenge traditional thinking on how to style your external spaces. Our innovative designs make a contemporary statement in any setting: patios, terraces, spa/pool sides, gardens as We are offering a unique discount of well as garden rooms and 15% to readers of the Life Magazines conservatories. using code LIFE17. Valid until Each individual piece is Friday 8th September. an original, hand cast to order Visit jalu.co.uk/shop in the UK by our skilled team of professionals from a novel and versatile material that is lighter than stone, but robust and durable. It produces inherently beautiful and tactile features that are available in a wide range of colours and finishes to allow you to commission your own distinctive lamp to fit with your personal design. Our LED floor lamps are fully weatherproof, low maintenance and can be left out all year round. See www.jalu.co.uk for more photos and details of our designs. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements. Juliet Kauffmann juliet.kauffmann@jalu.co.uk +44(0)1908 543094 or +44(0)7930 506864 www.jalu.co.uk

SAVE 15%

ew to the market in 2017, Jalu has created a bold new concept for outdoor lighting – beautiful, handcrafted floor lamps that give your outdoor living and entertaining areas a unique style and ambience. Designed to combine practicality with aesthetics,

“Our innovative designs make a contemporary statement in any setting”

Contemporary lighting for outdoor living

w w w. j a l u . c o . u k +44(0)1908 543094 +44(0)7930 506864 enquiries@jalu.co.uk

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facebook.com/Jalultd/ instagram.com/jalultd/ t w i t t e r. c o m / J a l u l i m i t e d

H OUSE & GARDEN

Stay Cool & Fresh! with a Henley Ceiling Fan

A ceiling fan is a simple and effective way to keep cool in the summer. It can create a fresh gentle breeze without any of the unpleasant side-effects of air conditioning

n our temperate climate air conditioning (AC) is often overkill and also produces many unpleasant side-effects such as a dry throat, itchy eyes and transmission of diseases. A ceiling fan on the other hand is environmentally friendly as it uses a fraction of the energy. The latest DC fans use just 24w on full power which can move an amazing 18,000m3/h of air, which is 10 times that of a typical tower fan. A ceiling fan can be used not just in conservatories but in lounges, kitchens, dining areas and especially bedrooms since with their slow gentle stirring action at only 65rpm they are completely silent compared to noisy, humming tower, desk fans or AC. The movement of the air over the skin produces a typical wind chill factor of 4°C and the gentle breeze also feels fresher in an otherwise stuffy room. They can also draw in cooler fresh air from outside into a room even through a small open window – great for those still air, muggy days or if you only have one window and so cannot get any

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A ceiling fan is a wise choice and offers many benefits: A gentle refreshing breeze through draft. The Henley Fan Company has been in business for over 17 years and is now the biggest stockist of designer ceiling, wall and desk fans in the UK from 7 top brands including Hunter, MrKen, Minka Aire, Beacon and Matthews. It has a choice of over 65 models in 35 finishes with many lovely styles to suite every taste and room including outdoor and sea-salt resistant fans for use on the coast. You also have a choice of light kits and the option of using either a remote or wall control. Henley Fan’s products have been specified by architects and interior designers alike for many 5 star hotels, resorts and well known restaurants. These include The Radisson, Amari Resort, Balthazar, Soho House, Hotel Chocolate, Mews-ofMayfair, Jamies Italian, ASK Italian, Costa Coffee and Café Nero. Henley fans are economical, powerful, stylish, reliable and silent. They also have very knowledgeable and helpful sales staff.

None of the health risks of air conditioning Easy to install and maintain Great for period properties – no ducting needed Are silent, do not wobble, hum or buzz Very low energy use

THE DETAILS For more information about The Henley Fan Company Ltd call on 01256 636 509 or visit www.henleyfan.com

NINAâ€™S HOUSE is an award-winning bespoke furniture store in Chelsea which allows clients to customize most aspects of their chosen piece. Specialising in solid wood, it houses a stunning collection of high-quality rustic and urban designs made from natural materials.

For more information call 0207 751 5827, visit 281 Kingâ€™s Road, London, SW3 5EW or log on to www.ninashouse.com.

H OUSE & GARDEN

The Wonder of Wood W

ood floors are contemporary, long-lasting and suitable for just about any room in the home. If you have them, you’ll know all about their virtues, if you haven’t, read on... While we all love the feel of carpet underfoot, it gets dirty quickly and even if you do get them cleaned regularly, you never escape those annoying grey tide marks that appear around the skirting boards. With wood floors, that is never a problem. Regular sweeping, a lick with a damp mop and some painless maintenance keeps wood floors looking good for decades. Kids, dogs, muddy boots – wood floors can withstand all the rigours of family life. Whatever your décor, there will be a wood floor to suit. They come in all shades, sizes and finishes from aged oak floors as dark as molasses, to pale coastal varieties that look as if they have been bleached by the sun. Modern production techniques mean that we can produce a huge variety of finishes, explains Peter Keane, Director of The Natural Wood Floor Company. We can enhance the grain to create pattern and texture and with an untreated floor, you can choose your own finish and therefore create the floor that you want. Unlike tiles, wood is forgiving underfoot and engineered boards can accommodate underfloor heating. You can also use engineered boards in bathrooms and kitchens where humidity is likely to fluctuate. Says Peter: “Engineered boards are made of hardwood ply sandwiched together, which means they are far more rigid and stable than a solid board. The floor you walk on, looks just the same as it would if it were solid and we provide a range of pre-finished floors in hard wearing scratch resistant sealers in oil or lacquer.” Many of today’s top interior designers choose wood as their flooring of preference and it ties in seamlessly with all the current décor trends from back to nature to Scandinavian hygge. Kelly Hoppen who appears on the BBC’s Great Interior Design Challenge says: I think rugs on wooden flooring look more contemporary than carpets. The Natural Wood Floor Company, 20 Smugglers Way, Wandsworth, SW18 1EG; 0208 871 9771; www.naturalwoodfloor.co.uk 148 AUGUST 2017

White Musk

“Whatever your décor, there will be a wood floor to suit. They come in all shades, sizes and finishes from aged oak floors as dark as molasses, to pale coastal varieties that look as if they have been bleached by the sun”

Engineered Oak Chevron

Smoky Mountain

H OUSE & GARDEN

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H OUSE & GARDEN

Getting the best nightâ€™s sleep with And So To Bed

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Founded over 30 years ago, the And So To Bed story began with fine antique beds. Being traditionalists at heart, the current team have remained true to their origins, taking inspiration from Baroque, Gothic and Victorian eras when designing opulent bedroom furniture, as well as developing accessories to accompany an already vast collection.

y continually staying true to producing beautiful handcrafted beds, And So To Bed have, since their creation, focused on the art and importance of sleep itself. With all of their showrooms now consisting of a dedicated space for luxury mattresses from acclaimed brands, such as Vispring, customers are now also able to focus on the quality of their sleep as well as the desire to create a design statement in their bedroom. And So To Bed’s specially trained sleep experts can not only assist in helping customers choose the perfect mattress and bed, but also in finding the sleep solution that best suits each individual customer – whether they require a firm memory foam mattress or a softer sprung divan. With expert advice readily on-hand, customers also have the opportunity to learn about the intricacies of a mattress, and what

mattress will provide them with the best quality of sleep. They can also experience the look and feel for themselves, with a wide selection of mattresses available to try in all showrooms. With more of us leading more hectic lives and sleep disorders on the increase in the UK, getting a good night’s sleep is more important than ever. Central to that is, of course, choosing a mattress that’s best for you. Lucy Helmore, Buying & Merchandise Director, And So To Bed explains, “When you are looking for a good mattress you will need to be able to make yourself comfortable, as ideally you should be spending at least 20 minutes on the bed. You really need the time to lie down, to turn and to adjust with pillows. Sitting on a bed or just pushing down on it with your hand will not help you find the right mattress. Always wear something loose and comfortable and be sure to take off jackets/coats when you try it. Be happy to take off shoes as well, you can then concentrate on testing the mattress, not worrying if you are getting the bed dirty. Wherever you test a mattress, be sure to ask for help or advice from the staff, their knowledge can help you avoid an expensive mistake.” www.andsotobed.co.uk or: Showroom Enquiries: 0808 144 4343 Online Enquiries: 0808 141 5838

“Customers are now also able to focus on the quality of their sleep as well as the desire to create a design statement in their bedroom”

AUGUST 2017 153

H OUSE & GARDEN

[NEWS]

OUTDOOR LIVING THIS MONTH WE LOVE…

Wooden Vintage Hanging Candle Lantern by Melody Maison, £33.95, www.MelodyMaison.co.uk

Sophie Allport Flamingo Beaker, £3.50, www.sophieallport.com

FABULOUSLY AL FRESCO Raspberry Ombre Pots, Set of Five by Annabel James, £18.95, www.annabeljames.co.uk

Summer is hotting up and therefore it’s time for plenty of barbecues and al fresco dining moments. Ragged Rose has released its gorgeous Golden Collection to enhance the beauty of any English garden with its floral, stripes and plain prints. When it’s time to set up the table the Tessa tablecloth is centre of attention (£40) and the Paddy Seat Pad Cushion (£15) is ideal to dress the chairs. It features an all over ragged stripe pattern in different shades of gold. Gorgeous! www.raggedrose.com

Birdball Belle Suet Ball Feeder in Terracotta by GREEN & BLUE, £26, www.black-by-design.co.uk

Beepot Concrete Planter & Bee Hotel in Mini Cotswold Yellow, by GREEN & BLUE, £35, www.black-by-design.co.uk

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LET THERE BE LIGHT Good lighting can transform your space, and good garden lighting can turn your little bit of the great outdoors into a warm and welcoming space that you can enjoy all summer long. There are many ways to introduce lighting to your garden. We’d love to bring ours out in bloom with stunning flowers that require no care and light up night after night! Lit by white LEDs, these stunning stake lights stand a an impressive 90cm tall and are finished with hand painted glass foxglove flowers that shine with a magical glow at night. Solar powered, there’s no wiring, simply place where they’ll receive maximum exposure to light and they’ll charge throughout the day before lighting up automatically at night. £46. www.glow.co.uk

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Tel 01481 730870 / Mob 07781 116400 Free delivery to your home within the UK. Over 500 sculptures available on website Our new updated website is now online

H OUSE & GARDEN

90 years of open gardens M

WORDS: Hannah Stephenson

any gardeners and the wider public will be visiting an open garden this year, one which is opened to the public on one or more specific days of the year to raise money for nursing and caring charities. The National Garden Scheme, which is celebrating its 90th birthday this year, remains the biggest charitable funder of both Macmillan Cancer Support and Marie Curie. Its president is high-profile baker and gardener Mary Berry, who has opened up her own NGS garden for 20 years, while the scheme has undergone a revamped image which is more informal than the old one and a newly designed ‘Yellow Book’ - which lists details of this year’s open gardens. It has just announced that £3 million will be donated to its beneficiaries in 2017 as a result of funds raised through garden openings in 2016, and George Plumptre, the charity’s ebullient chief executive, explains: “In our 90th anniversary, it’s wonderful to celebrate all our new gardens coming in, but also look at the gardens which opened 90 years ago and are still open - even Sandringham,

“In our 90th anniversary, it’s wonderful to celebrate all our new gardens coming in, but also look at the gardens which opened 90 years ago and are still open” 156 AUGUST 2017

thank you, Your Majesty!” This year, 3,650 gardens will be opening for the scheme, including more than 500 new and returning gardens, 270-plus groups of gardens, 38 allotment groups, 15 school gardens and 10 hospice gardens. When the scheme started in 1927, two gardens opened on Whit Sunday - Hatfield House in Herts and Sandringham, Norfolk. The Times sent a photographer to Hatfield House, capturing the first visitors. “What interests me is the way that we represent how gardening has diversified. In the 1920s most

MORE INFORMATION Do you think your garden could be opened to the public for the NGS? Or do you just want to visit one of the open gardens? To find details of all gardens opening near you, visit the NGS website www.ngs.org.uk or download the free NGS ‘GardenFinder’ app.

Scotland’s Gardens (www.scotlandsgardens.org) runs a similar open gardens scheme to raise money for charity

Ulster Gardens Scheme (www.ulstergardensscheme.org.uk) holds open days to help raise funds to support work in National Trust gardens in Northern Ireland.

The NGS ‘Yellow Book’ is available from all good bookshops and all counties have their individual booklets, which can be picked up via the NGS website www.ngs.org.uk

H OUSE & GARDEN

”We always visit a garden to have a look before they open. Everybody thinks there’s a certain stamp of quality if you are opening for the National Garden Scheme”

of our gardens were country houses, country cottages - all rural,” enthuses Plumptre. “One of the fascinating things is that a number of gardens, like Great Dixter, a famous garden in Sussex and the famous home of Christopher Lloyd, and Sissinghurst (Kent), which is even more famous, were brand new when they first opened before the war and now, in our 90 years, they have grown to become national icons. “In 1980, there were 30 gardens opening within the M25 and today there are 300. It’s that growth of diversity which reflects how people garden. Many more of our owners do all the work themselves. In the 1920s most of the gardens that opened relied on gardeners. Today, you do it yourself and so when you open, it’s the fruits of your labour that people are seeing. “City gardens are developing slowly, which is

really exciting. Groups of gardens in villages is another really important development of recent decades.” He says it is still sometimes a challenge to get people to open up their gardens to the public just for one or two days of the year. “We always visit a garden to have a look before they open. Everybody thinks there’s a certain stamp of quality if you are opening for the National Garden Scheme. “We do get a number of people who say, ‘Oh, I couldn’t possibly open up my garden to the public for the National Garden Scheme because I’m not nearly good enough’ and then you find that actually they’re one of the best. Gardeners are very modest folk. They don’t push themselves forward. It’s normally a friend who says, ‘You must go and see that garden’.”

BEST OF THE BUNCH Hyacinth These gorgeous spring bulbs are famed as much for their heady fragrance as their colourful showy spikes of flowers in shades ranging from white to deep purple. Among the best blue flowered varieties is Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Blue Jacket’, which bears waxy deep blue flowers with purple veins, and ‘Carnegie’, which is white. Plant them in early autumn for March or April flowering - but avoid touching the bulbs with your bare hands as they can cause allergic reactions - in deep, well-drained fertile soil in sun or partial shade, 10cm deep and 7.5cm apart. You can plant them closer together in containers and they look amazing in large shallow bowls in single colours. Make sure you place them close to the patio door or an open window which will allow you to inhale their delicious fragrance on spring days. Plants can be lifted once the foliage has died down and stored in a cool, dry place until they are ready to be planted again in autumn.

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Ideal for small London gardens, Beautiful design blending into the landscape Transform your outside space for all year enjoyment Built-in heating and Jacuzzi Versatile and safe with small children around Secure “walk on” covers, key lock and optional alarm.

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H OUSE & GARDEN

Make summer last

Keep your garden looking colourful for longer. WORDS: Natalie Bradshaw, Press Association

he end of summer can mark the start of wilted annuals and faded perennials, but if you add some beautiful, bold lateflowering additions, you can make your garden a riot of colour until autumn. It’s easy to prolong the season with dahlias, heleniums, rudbeckias and a host of other bright blooms which will fit into many planting schemes and situations.

Hydrangea Flaunting an old-fashioned charm in a variety of colours - blues, vibrant pinks and frosty whites Hydrangeas grow up to six feet high and wide, so they’re great for creating a ‘sea of flowers’ effect. You can get different varieties, including lacecap, mophead or oakleaf hydrangeas. Consider placing in front of taller plants like small or medium-size trees that could offer the shade the shrubs prefer. But beware, too much shade can reduce their flowering.

Dahlia Flowering from mid-summer until the first frosts (which can be around mid-October, depending where you live), these popular blooms come in bronze, dark red, lavender, orange and pink, and are all different shapes and sizes. They make great standalones in their own beds or paired with grasses and verbena plants. They need a well-worked soil with good drainage and, once they’re established, be sure to water them three or four times a week.

Crocosmia These bright flowers are maintenance-free and easy to grow, so they’ll add an easy shot of colour to your garden. Their bold, sword-like flowers mainly 160 AUGUST 2017

come in reds, oranges and yellows. Depending on the variety, crocosmia can grow up to a metre tall, and they don’t need pruning, just remove the dead leaves and flower stems before spring, when new growth starts.

Sedum Spectabile These pink late-summer flowers will save your garden from getting the blues well into autumn. Plant in a sunny position in your garden and pair with Japanese anemones, phlox or penstemons. These require little care, just check your plants regularly to make sure they’re not too dry.

Rudbeckias These are bushy plants that create masses of bold, zingy yellow flowers. Also known as black-eyed Susans because of their distinctive big black cone in the centre, they have a long flowering period between July to October. They are drought-resistant, not too fussy about soil type, and can grow over three feet tall, with a flower diameter of 2-3 inches.

Helenium These vibrant, daisy-shaped orange flowers bloom in late summer and autumn. Brilliant on their own or pair with tall, purple salvias, for a nice contrast. Grow in fertile, moist, but well-drained soil and deadhead regularly to ensure they flower for longer.

Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ For a splash of purple, then try Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’, a purple, daisy-like flower with a yellow centre. These bushy herbaceous perennials can grow up to 90cm and like an open, sunny position. Cut back in late autumn and pair with a tall, pink penstemon.

LUXURY FABRICS & FURNISHINGS GUIDE

– A collection of London’s finest furnishing companies – i m age : SCANDI LOV E

FABRICS & FURNISHINGS

bridging the gap I

t’s not unusual for friendships to start at the school gates dropping off and picking up the children. Indeed, that’s exactly how Lou and Suzy met. Having both taken breaks from very different careers to raise their children, many a conversation was had about dreams and aspirations of wanting a new challenge but neither wanted to go back to working for someone else. “We knew we wanted to start our own business, so we could also be there for our families when needed. The question simply was what to do?” Having renovated and built various properties between them, they shared a love of interior design and found they also had similar tastes. “We were both frustrated with the products available to us whilst decorating our own homes. Current high street offerings are fairly-priced but so trend led that they frequently lack quality and longevity. At the high end of the market, you can find superb quality and more timeless design but the price tag can be exuberant and difficult to justify. Then somewhere in the middle, the choice is a bit limited. We felt we could help bridge the gap”. So, one September evening after a few glasses of wine we decided to go for it and launch our own business”. Layered Lounge is a new online home décor store with a strong sense of quality, colour and simplistic crisp styling. The desire is to bring customers products which last in terms of both design and quality, at a reasonable price so the product range is not a slave to trends yet attention is paid to them. “We also love to accent with colour. Our style is very much a fusion rather than following any to the extreme. Simple, yet sophisticated, practical but also indulgent. For example, we both love minimalist interiors with crisp clean lines but with 5 kids and 2 dogs between us

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“We were both frustrated with the products available to us whilst decorating our own homes”

we wouldn’t want our homes to be designed entirely like that. On the other hand, colour, texture and detailing are important but neither of us like fussy or busy interiors. It’s all about balance!” At the heart of the business is the concept of layering, which is the process of staging a room by adding items that give it depth, tone and personality. Making it look effortless, even if a lot of effort has gone into it. Just as you would layer your outfit for comfort and style, so too should you consider layering your room. “You could say our product selection is based on things we love personally, and we would have to agree. In fact, if only one of us likes a product then it simply doesn’t make the cut. Texture is also important to us. When perusing new products, we both immediately go to touch or stroke them. Size should be taken into consideration too, often less is more and a large feature piece such as a beautiful lamp can create a real focal point.” Starting the business has also enabled Lou & Suzy to give a little back. “We are very proud to be supporting a local Muscular Dystrophy charity called Action for Archie.” Archie is 12 years old and suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which is a severe muscle wasting condition. A 10% donation from all profits from the Layered Lounge branded scented candles, diffusers and room sprays will be given to the charity. So please take a look by visiting www.layeredlounge.com.

FABRICS & FURNISHINGS

Dahlia Collection now available on Pamono The Dahlia Collection – a monochrome solid European ash series comprised of a ining table, bench, coffee table and bookshelf designed for contemporary living with a communal feel is now available online via Pamono.

roduced in collaboration with family run Italian Manufacturer Universal, the debut collection combines local raw materials and modern engineering processes with traditional craft techniques. Both Mueller and Universal pay particular attention to their impact on the environment and the Dahlia Collection has been created using renewable energy sources with sustainability and longevity in mind. European ash has been a constant companion on Mueller’s design journey and with the collection manufactured in Central Europe, he felt the material was appropriate for his debut as an independent designer. “Looking around the design world at the heavy use of Oak and Walnut made me feel more confident to use Ash for the collection to showcase its beauty, durability and strength,” explains Mueller. “I understand how to work with Ash and get the most from it, not just in machining techniques but also to highlight the beauty of the grain variations and the material’s capacity for taking different finishes.” Having grown up in Austria, Mueller spent the majority of his time in his grandfather’s workshop working with materials and learning conventional techniques. His move to London in 2008, to study at the CASS School of Design, allowed him to develop his design language and immerse himself in his new urban surroundings, which have in turn formed the inspiration for the detailing featured in his designs.

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Drawing inspiration from the pleasing juxtaposition of architectural elements in the city, Mueller has utilised a simplified line motif to create a sense of harmony across his collection. “I noticed the drain pipes on certain structures had contrasting colours which gave the houses interesting new outlines and enhanced the overall form,” states Mueller. “Clean lines are always referenced in one way or another in my designs and this is setting the tone for future developments, hopefully with some exciting twists.” This striking interplay is echoed in the colour choices selected by Mueller. Stained black ash frames have been chamfered to reveal the untreated ash below, adding an outline effect to the pieces, while the solid whitewashed tops corroborate his clean approach to design. With plans to expand the collection with a bespoke offering, Mueller envisions his customers choosing their own statement colour to accentuate their living space. The Dahlia Collection is available on Pamono on a made to order basis andcan be shipped worldwide within 6-8 weeks. www.alexandermueller.co.uk

“Clean lines are always referenced in one way or another in my designs”

FABRICS & FURNISHINGS

interior

luxury S

pecialists in curtain fabric, interior design, making up and fitting, Fabric World is a family business that has been established for 40 years, they have two fabric shops in Epsom and Croydon, Surrey. Stocking over 4000 designer fabrics for curtains, blind, soft furnishings and upholstery where their experienced staff will discuss your requirements and advise you on measurements, fabrics, fittings and accessories. Their expert interior designers offer an excellent personal service covering Surrey and London. Designers visit your home with a huge range of designer fabric samples and discuss with you curtains, blinds and your tailor made interior design scheme. Also offering a complete fitting service so that your curtains and blinds are fitted to a professional standard. The Epsom fabric shop has curtain making workrooms where a professional and expert team of curtain makers create all styles of curtains and blinds. They have collectively worked for Fabric World for nearly a century.

Home Consultation Interior Design Service

To make your home really special, a complete home consultation interior design service is offered in Surrey and London. Using mobile design vans, interior Designers will visit your home bringing with them over 1500 samples of designer fabrics, 500 samples of wallpaper, paint charts and blind and curtain books so you can touch and feel samples to help you achieve the look that you have always wanted. They share and advise on exclusive curtain, interior design and soft furnishing ideas and listen to your ideas to create your own unique style. Sourcing fabrics from all corners of the world, including their own suppliers in China and India, and specialising in custom-made furnishings for people who want something different, special or simply unique. ‘The library of books and samples are enormous ,and if you can’t find what you are looking for, it probably doesn’t exist!’ The interior design service covers everything, including measuring up, estimating fabric, choosing fabrics, trimmings, blinds, poles and tracks. They also make the curtains and blinds in their workroom at the Epsom shop and provide a professional fitting service. An interior design consultation only costs £50 and if your total order is worth £500 or more the cost is refunded. The Designer works on the curtain and soft furnishing interior design aspects, and also work in partnership with 168 AUGUST 2017

Images: The Fragrance Collection by Prestigious

other Designers and Architects who take on complete house renovations and need to outsource to companies such as Fabric World for soft furnishings. With a wealth of experience they have helped and advised thousands of customers who come back repeatedly! Epsom: Tel: 01372 723640 15 West Street, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 7RL Opposite Station Approach (parking for 20 cars) Croydon: Tel: 020 8688 6282 6 – 10 Brighton Road, South Croydon, CR2 6AA

There is nowhere more essential than the home for creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that both friends and family will love and not want to leave. Hit the Hygge sweet spot and create a space you love with gorgeous handmade DNA lighting. Design By Neb Abbott creates stunning sculptural lighting for every room. Inspired by the geometry of nature, each design is hand made in Manchester. When illuminated the designs are radically transformed: dramatic shadows are cast while an intensity of colour is brilliantly revealed.

07738 592898

www.designbynebabbott.com

FABRICS & FURNISHINGS

Our love of Scandi interiors shows no sign of waning - but that doesn’t mean you can’t update the theme. Gabrielle Fagan turns to home style blogger and author Niki Brantmark for inspiration

Scandi Love

t’s hard to escape Scandinavia’s influence on our lives - and it’s in our living rooms that it’s really made its mark. That uber-cool blend of clean lines, simple shapes and beautifullydesigned functional furniture adds up to a sophisticated, elegant look that’s proved irresistible. But just as the Scandi buzzword-of-the-moment has moved on from the Danish ‘hygge’ to the Swedish ‘lagom’ – which means ‘just the right amount’ – the vibe in interiors has evolved too, making way for more balanced, pared-back style, where comfort and quality reign supreme. That ‘less is more’ vision is perfectly understood by Niki Brantmark, a Londoner who moved to Sweden more than a decade ago. The move inspired her blog, My Scandinavian Home – and now her new book, The Scandinavian Home, opens the door to a host of distinctive spaces, including dreamy log cabins. “Scandinavian homes are renowned for their clean lines and muted colours and there’s a wonderful ease in the way they create them and apply their innate

sense of style,” Brantmark enthuses. “In general, they believe it’s better to take time layering their homes with items that tell a story and have a sense of purpose. It all helps to make their settings unique and filled with personality and beauty.” The huge popularity of the Scandi look means it can be created quickly and easily, or you can follow a more measured approach, and take your time collecting one-off finds and heirloom pieces.

SCANDI STYLE RULES Follow Niki Brantmark’s guide to creating Scandi-style decor... • Keep the look clean and fuss-free, focusing on straight lines and simple shapes. “In many homes, whether urban, country or rural dwellings, you will find only a few beautifully crafted, high-quality iconic design pieces, alongside antiques and flea market finds, all made from natural, sustainable sources.” • Stick to light, muted colours, such as white, light grey and blue, for a calm look and feel. “The 170 AUGUST 2017

“Scandinavian homes are renowned for their clean lines and muted colours and there’s a wonderful ease in the way they create them and apply their innate sense of style”

FABRICS & FURNISHINGS

well as other items found on your doorstep.

GET THE LOOK

preference is for light wood floors and white walls and ceilings which reflect the light.” • Leave windows as unobscured as possible to allow natural light to fill the room. “Scandinavians are inspired by light, having an abundance of it in summer, but so little of it in winter, so house design tends to maximise the natural light flow with large windows.” • Create interest using different textures, such as marble, wood and stone. “Nature and weather are major influences, as homes have to be made warm and cosy, not simply with log burning stoves, but also through incorporating earthy colour tones and natural materials from wood to leather, to soften the clean lines of the architecture.” • Add layers of soft materials such as cotton, linen and sheepskin, for a warm and inviting space. Forgo wall-to-wall carpets for wood flooring and a selection of small rugs. As a final finishing touch, bring nature indoors with plants and flowers, as

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“Nordic principles are largely to do with quiet, understated aesthetics and surroundings,” says Kasia Wiktorowicz, at paint specialists, Valspar. “Muted mid-tones, like shades of grey, caramel or soft blue, are restful yet interesting, and help create a clean and balanced design. Chalky whites also blend quietly with these colours, so you are left with a calming interior that will rejuvenate your mind after a busy day.” “Choose a soft neutral shade for your flooring, which could be wood flooring or tile,” says Jemma Dayman, assistant buyer, Carpetright. “It’s all about introducing different tones of colour, and sheepskins or wool rugs are perfect for this look, which could be in pale hues or, for more practicality but still appropriate, earthy shades.” Statement lights are a feature in a pared back setting, and a selection of pendant lights hung over a table, unified by colour, attract the eye upwards and define a dining area, and there are many furniture companies specialising in Scandinavian style, with furniture and sheepskin rugs. Just a few small details can evoke a sense of this style. The Scandinavian Home by Niki Brantmark, photography by James Gardiner, is published by Cico Books, priced £19.99. Available to readers for the special price of £14.99 (inc p&p); Call 01256 302 699 and quote reference KF8

FABRICS & FURNISHINGS

How to match your decor 4 men’s-inspired interiors From sleek leather sofas to pop art accessories, Gabrielle Fagan reveals the looks to consider.

ome things may shriek male style - oversized leather sofas, black bed linen, coffee tables overloaded with video games and collections of beer mats but there are all sorts of ways to style up a bachelor pad, man cave or fella’s flat, and ensure it’s more ‘designer cool’ than ‘macho mistake’. Choose from one of these four decor types, so you can match your home to your personality...

1. Regular guy Steady, loyal and reliable by nature, he likes decor to match - practical, comfortable and lowmaintenance. Think traditional-style and leather sofas, sturdy coffee tables, and lots of brown and black (doesn’t show the dirt!). “Men’s spaces needn’t be boring these days, especially if they incorporate good design and embrace a cohesive look by sticking to natural materials and neutral shades,” says Emma Brindley, group interior design manager,

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Redrow Homes. “An oversized sofa - curves give a softer look - can be the ultimate statement piece. Add warmth and comfort with knitted throws, and show off your style credentials by reflecting this year’s geometric trend in patterned cushions, and a rug in monochrome tones or colour. Add more personality by creating a gallery wall of favourite movie posters or sporting icons.” • Get the look: Murals can transform a room, and Wallsauce’s super selection includes a range of Venice scenes, from £25 per square metre. A leather sofa’s a must, and Marks & Spencer’s Hendrix medium sofa in Stowe tan leather, £2,099, is a winner, as is pib’s Saint Paul Chesterfield Sofa, £2,530, reduced from £2,810. Storage is key and a traveller trunkstyle Colonia Chest of Drawers, £412.50, Hutsly, is roomy and handsome. • He’d love: The Brass Knocker Alarm Clock in matte chocolate black, £25, Cotswold Trading, and a Dashing Gent Fine China Mug, £15, Chase and Wonder.

to your personality:

2. The entertainer It’s all about parties and socialising for him and his ‘open house’ policy means there’s always someone calling in for drinks, so a well-furnished dining/kitchen area is essential. “Country style chic is a big trend this year - with white washed or pastel toned rooms, solid wood floors and furniture, and aged leather furnishings in vintage tan leather,” says Leanne Dixon, head of product for chair specialists, HSL.“It’s all about understated style for men’s rooms, where the look doesn’t overpower and is versatile to suit any occasions without fuss or frills. Bachelor spaces are often multifunctional, so furniture should be sleek and stylish. “For a colour palette to please both sexes in a shared space, take on the trend for deep, moody greens and blues.” • Get the look: Next combines slick design and quality in its homeware ranges; their Hudson Fixed 8-Seater Dining Table, £499, is one of its stars, and pairs strikingly with their faux tan leather Bernie Dining Chairs, £275 a pair. Throw light on the area with a Mesh 5 Light Linear Pendant, £130. Word signs are all the rage - spell it out with a Metal ‘Bar’ Light Up Sign, £34.99, Festive Lights. • He’d love: A La Cafetiere Brushed Gold Cafetiere, £34.95, Miafleur. Plunder Amara for designer bargains: Tom Dixon Plum Copper Martini Glass, £80 for set of two, and a handmade Michael Aram Rock Cocktail Shaker, £82.

“It’s all about understated style for men’s rooms”

AUGUST 2017 175

H OUSE &&GARDEN FABRICS FURNISHINGS

4. Game boy 3. Brand man This guy loves his designer labels; everything in his wardrobe and home shows off his taste and is chosen with care. A fan of Pinterest and Instagram, he’s always one click away from his favourite designer furniture outlets. “There’s an increasingly design-literate male audience, who are looking for product aesthetics as well as functionality and performance, from technology to the home,” says Naomi Shedden, senior trend analyst at Trend Bible. “Interior design is becoming a more democratic process, where a balance has to be achieved between the preferences of all family members. We’re seeing a move towards simpler, cleaner and more modern trends as a result, but balance is key. “The trend for a grey palette is a classic sign of this move towards a more masculine look, which can be softened through accessories and lighting. We’re even seeing a move towards including softer shades like pink, to create a balance of warm and cool tones. Adding industrial details will ensure a setting doesn’t look ultra-feminine or overly-decorative.” • Get the look: This Reclaimed Willys Jeep Desk, £1,440, Smithers of Stamford, was originally used by the Americans in World War II and would tick all his boxes, especially as it has two working headlights. Follow the transport theme with an Aviator Keeler Wing Desk Chair, £1,375, Modish Living. • He’d love: Concrete Box Lighting, £139, Pib Home, and a Silver Cog Skeleton Wall Clock, £92.95, (available June 23) Windsor Browne.

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He’s fun, with that essential GSOH, and adventurous - so he’ll experiment with his decor. As long as it has personality, colour and boyish charm, he’s happy. Bright, primary colours, pop art posters and fun collections of toys from his childhood or memorabilia are key ingredients in this interiors recipe. “Men have, stereotypically, always had a set area of the home which they can call and style their own way; the shed down the bottom the garden being a classic example. However, in the last 10 years, the man pad has become less masculine in its tone,” Mark Turner, of interiors brand We Love Cushions, says. “Cool designer gadgets and softer furnishings have made for a more relaxing - as well as practical - space. When it comes to sharing a home, a retro vibe can be perfect for both men and women - archival collections and vintage poster designs in light and bright hues add a visual twist to a neutral palette, with textures being key to a softer feel. “A man’s bedroom is a personal space which can be a real reflection of his taste. There’s room for playful, witty touches, such as posters or displays of photographs.” • Get the look: Turn attention to the wall with Pop Art Dream Romance mural wallpaper, from £25 per square metre, Wallsauce, which should appeal to his sense of humour. • He’d love: Tetris Light, £20, where the lights change shape as it’s moved, George Home; a Tuli Table Lamp, £25, Made, and a Startling Stories of the Stars Pulp Fiction Cushion, £34.99, We Love Cushions.

FABRICS & FURNISHINGS

MAKE YOUR HOME UNIQ

aunched in 2016, family run UNIQ HOME uses its 20 years of experience in the textile industry to bring you the highest quality homeware products. Their simple, beautiful and modern bedding is both luxurious and affordable, and is committed to the

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environment with 100% natural fabrics. Uniq Home started out as a small textile company, a one-person business run by our founder, Larissa. She dreamt of finding a way to create beautifully crafted, eco-friendly home furnishings at reasonable prices. Uniq Home is this dream, realised. Using her 20 years of experience in textiles, working with some of the largest Scandinavian homeware brands, Larissa built Uniq Home into a go-to source for 100% natural bedding and housewares. Her attention to detail and strong expertise set Uniq Home’s fabrics apart. We are still a family-run business, and we like to keep things simple. Our luxury bedding features modern designs and the best all-natural, hypoallergenic fabrics, letting the quality of our products speak for itself. Elegant, well-made and committed to the environment — just some of the qualities that make us Uniq. www.uniq-home.com

“Uniq Home started out as a small textile company, a one-person business run by our founder, Larissa”

Discover the simple pleasure of a perfect night’s sleep

Natural. afforDable. luxurious

www.uniq-home.com • Facebook: Uniq-Home • Instagram: @uniqhomeshop

LUXURY

BATHROOM guide

– Everything you need to create the perfect London bathroom – i m age : VILL E ROY & BOCH

LUXURY B ATHROOM GUIDE

We love bathrooms, especially beautiful and spa-like ones where we can create our own little oasis at home. Whether you have your own bathroom retreat or are looking to create a new one, you’re just a few ideas, products, and steps away from the bathroom of your dreams

L uxury T ouches

athroom design has come a long way in the last 20 years. Whilst the importance of functionality remains; many more homeowners are now spending time and money to ensure striking aesthetics within their bathroom. Designer bathrooms are a common site in many homes and such a project can add real value to the property. If you are seeking to create a modern designer bathroom look in your home then the tips below will help you achieve that goal.

A STYLISH BATH The first bathroom suite item to deal with is the bathtub. This is the piece of furniture that you will get the most enjoyment from and it is important to ensure that it provides comfort to the user. However, going for a practical model doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice style and there is a vast range of bathroom models, from twin baths that allow two people to bathe side by side, to corner baths that serve to maximise available space. If you prefer the more traditional rectangle shaped bath, there are still options available that provide that designer feel. Going for a separate tap installation also serves to create a unique look.

THE SHOWER OPTION Whether you have enough space to install both a bathtub and a shower, or prefer to just have the latter in your bathroom; your choice of design will

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have a huge impact on the room. Quadrant shower enclosures that fit into the corner of the room with an arc shaped glass enclosing the two sides, give an elegant finishing look to the suite. If you are planning to splurge on your bathroom and you have the space, you might like to consider a walk-in shower enclosure. Walk-ins give you greater mobility and access, and look grand as well as plenty of space to really relax and unwind. It is a good idea to have glass on as many sides of the shower enclosure as the bathroom allows. This will greatly help to increase the light in the room, which will in turn give the illusion of spaciousness.

AN APPEALING BASIN Although you probably consider the bath or shower

as being the most important of furniture in your bathroom, it is also the basin that acts as a central item in designer bathrooms. This is due to the fact that it will almost always have a mirror placed above it, which immediately draws the attention of anyone who enters the room. As such it is important to install a basin that looks fantastic. One option is to fit a vanity unit, with the basin sunk in so that it is flush with the surface. Alternatively you could add to the aesthetics by mounting the basin on top of the vanity unit and go for an unusual design, such as a funnel shaped basin. However, if you are going for an ultra-modern look and want to keep furniture down to a minimum, then a vanity unit may not be the right choice for you. In such instances a hovering sink with hidden pipes is a good option. If you have a big enough bathroom and enough wall space, you could even decide to go for the double sink, which not only look great, but are also useful in a busy household.

LUXURY TOUCHES Carefully coordinate your towels with the colour of the walls and bathroom suite. Add a stylish looking towel rail electric element to heat up the towels for added luxury, which also comes with an added advantage of warming up your bathroom. Decanting your soap and shower products into matching bottles is a simple way to create a stylish look in your bathroom. Coordinate other accessories such as the toilet roll holder and toothbrush holder. Get a sleek and stylish cabinet or matching boxes to hide away less attractive products or those you don’t want to show. A wellchosen bathroom rug, a potted plant in the corner, or a framed picture hung on an empty wall; small pieces which can completely revamp the look of your suite. Strike a balance by picking just a few significant pieces of bathroom furniture which will contain a certain colour. Offset it by choosing a neutral or contrasting colour in other accessories. By ensuring that your accessories are attractive and functional, along with some good, soft lighting, you can create a calm and relaxing retreat, right inside your home.

LUXURY B ATHROOM GUIDE

MAD FOR

MONOCHROME

hic and effortless, black and white is still most definitely in fashion. It’s a versatile trend that will work in both contemporary and traditional settings. Joel Fry (Designer at Ripples London) tells us that “whether you’re looking for the traditional styling of Victoriana, the clean crisp lines of the contemporary, or even the eye-catching patterns of the swinging sixties, a monochrome scheme lends a versatility perfect for effortlessly achieving the design you’re dreaming of ”.

1 2 3

Here we take a look at three brand new collections available at award-winning bathroom retailer, Ripples. Modern Monochrome: Opt for clean lines when it comes to furniture to add a contemporary edge to the monochrome trend. This brand new furniture collection features smoked glass accents, a subtle nod to this new trend.

Tiles Trending: A trend set to continue into 2018, encaustic tiles are certainly having a real moment. With their unique patterns and colours, decorative tiles can add an instant update to your bathrooms. These brand new tiles available from Ripples will help to create interest in even the smallest bathrooms. We adore them in a cloakroom. “Opt for the perfect mix of both contemporary and traditional styling to create an element of intrigue in your bathroom by mixing these encaustic tiles with a modern basin in your cloakroom” (Says Ripples Designer Joel Fry).

Darling Diva: The “Diva” collection available from bathroom retailer Ripples gets a beautiful makeover. The results are an immaculately beautiful bathroom collection, with softly curving surfaces, strikingly beautiful vanity units with real wood veneer base units and leather-look loop handles. Soft black trim accents add a sophisticated nod to the monochrome trend. Sometimes less really is more with this trend. Head to Ripples London to discover these new collections: 26 England’s Lane, London, NW3 4TG; T: 0207 4499 594; W: www.ripplesbathrooms.com

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LUXURY B ATHROOM GUIDE

Where Life Meets Style

Imagine a space that is designed around your lifestyle, responding to your needs and personal style. Amberth can show you how you can achieve extraordinary results with the space you have.

mberth, a bespoke Interior Design Company based in Islington, specialise in Bathrooms, Kitchens and fitted Interiors. With over 10 years of experience in the industry they are renowned for their craftsmanship, and attention to detail creating custom made cabinetry and furniture to suit their clients’ needs and expectations. With their own team of fitters, they take on projects from initial concept right through to completion, and project manage the entire process to ensure a stressfree experience for their clients. Beginning with a free consultation at their studio, 3D visuals are designed according to the given brief. A total of 2-3 designs are proposed and a quote is prepared. Amberth are flexible and happy to make changes to the design to ensure their clients are happy. Once the design is approved by the client, the process is

followed with a detailed space assessment at the property giving the designers and project manager a visual sense of the space they are working with. A site survey is carried out where measurements and photographs are taken to be used during the design process moving forward. Having exclusive access to a wide range of materials from around the world, the dedicated team of designers work closely with the project manager to produce high standard designs with top quality finishes. Each project is approached differently with a dynamic embrace of contemporary and traditional design, producing fantastic spaces that their clients love. Being a family run business, Amberth pride themselves on building long lasting relationships with their clients and often receive a vast number of clients through recommendations. If you are in the area feel free to stop by for a quick chat, there is always someone on hand to help. For more information about Amberth telephone 020 7354 8958; www.amberth.co.uk

“Amberth Interiors created a stylish, unique bathroom design for our Clerkenwell apartment. They completed this project to an exceptionally high standard and our bathroom looks beautiful. The project manager and his team were considerate and professional at all times.” JENNIFER FROM CLERKENWELL 186 AUGUST 2017

LUXURY B ATHROOM GUIDE

THE NEW

Things are getting personal in the bathroom... Gabrielle Fagan reveals three key looks to make a style splash

BATHROOM RULES by sleek brassware and fresh white walls for an efficient, sleek look. Bathroom units raised off the floor, increasing visible floor space, to create an illusion of a larger room, are starring, and a particularly striking ‘floating’ effect can be achieved, with wall-hung, chunky, unsupported slabs in gloss or wood grain, and slim, curved vessel basins on top.”

Soak up inspiration from these latest bathroom looks... DRAMA ZONE

here’s a new wave of styles washing over bathrooms. The tide’s turning against the predictable, and embracing a more go-with-the-flow approach means you can mix-and-match furniture and fittings to conjure a space that perfectly suits your taste, as well as your practical needs, whether it’s a spa-like haven, a functional family room, or a contemporary wet room. As designers become more adventurous, sophistication, glamour and individuality rule. And it’s easy to achieve a ‘wow’ factor, thanks to stateof-the-art technology - think TVs, sound systems and light and water shows in the shower - sculptural sanitary ware, and even stunning waterproof wallpaper now vying with tiles for attention. “The traditional bathroom suite has become outdated and there’s a desire for the space to become customised, with people seeing it as a room where they can display individual pieces, as they would art,” says Leanne Martin, head of product at Sottini. “A strong industrial trend is coming through, with steel-effect wall-hung cabinets complemented

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“If you don’t want to reach out and touch the walls, you’re not doing it right for 2017. Bathrooms no longer mean matching tiles as far as the eye can see - as a nation, we’ve become experimental with wall finishes and shrugged off the constraints of the white bathroom tile,” says Martin. “Industrial concrete walls are being paired with textured wallpapers, while tile effects are being created using countless different sizes, shapes, prints and texture options. Even a retro wood finish has made a comeback for a Scandi-chic style statement, and for the really bold, vertical green, living walls, to give a lush 3D impact you can’t beat!” Water, she points out, is a feature in itself. “It’s not enough that it drains down a plughole any more. It’s all about the spectacle of how it falls in a waterfall-like sheet from a height and disappears out

of sight into concealed drainage.” LOOK OUT FOR: Mirrors with sensor controlled lighting and de-misting, as well as inbuilt functions linked to music systems, TVs and phones. TAP INTO STYLE: Wall&Deco’s waterproof ‘wall papers’ include a gorgeous ‘Inner Forest’ and ‘Converatory’ - which looks like a lush tropical landscape - design, from £156 per square metre, West One Bathrooms (www.westonebathrooms. com). Alternatively, make an impact with a monochrome Diver Wall Mural, from £10.63, Purlfrost (www.purlfrost.com). Sottini’s range has bang-on-trend pieces, including a free-standing Ombrone Totem Washbasin, £1,190.25; a Bonamico 70cm Square Vessel Washbasin, £341.55, or a bowl-shape Pioto Vessel Washbasin, £160.43. Achieve that ‘floating’ effect with a sleek Ippari Console, £546.48. (www. sottini.co.uk). If you really want to splash the cash for celebrity style, Touched Interiors is the destination to visit: Brass And Gold Plated Black High Gloss Bubbles Bathtub, £29,310, and a Polished Brass And Mirrored Free-standing Washbasin, £14,770 (www.touchedinteriors.co.uk). For period style, look no further than Heritage Bathrooms, which has a Madeira Cast Iron Double Ended Bath, from £3,750, and an Abingdon Basin & Washstand in Rose Gold, from £495 (www.heritagebathrooms.com). From left: Gold Kartell by Laufen All Saints mirror, £504.62, Gold Kartell by Laufen ‘Rifly’ pendant lamp, £335.27 and the Boutique Dark Oak Vanity Unit, £1,522.50, all available from laufen.co.uk; Twin panelled double Shower enclosure, from 345 per panel, available from Merlyn Showering; Madeira Cast Iron Double Ended Bath, from £3,750; Hemsby Floor Standing Bath Shower Mixer, from £1,272; Abingdon Basin and Washstand in Rose Gold, from £495; Chesham Mirror in Stone Black, from £425, all available from Heritage Bathrooms; Converatory waterproof wallpaper, by WallandDeco, 156 per square metre, available from West One Bathrooms. All images courtesy of PA photo/Handout

LUXURY B ATHROOM GUIDE

SERENE SANCTUARY “The bathroom isn’t purely about functionality, or a clinical environment any more. It’s a sanctuary that needs as much design consideration as a living room,” says Daniel Cook, principal development designer at C.P. Hart. “It’s all about subtle elegance and a beautiful harmony of shades with less ‘pops’ of colour. Muted consistent tones, such as taupes and greys for furniture and sanitary ware, are increasingly popular colour choices. There’s a move beyond white and glazed surfaces and a significant increase in pastel shades of pinks and blues.” LOOK OUT FOR: A refined industrial trend with brushed finish brassware, matt finishes for ceramics, as well as silk/satin glass finishes. TAP INTO STYLE: Key into colour with Italiandesigned items from the Cielo Ceramica I Catini range: Blue Washbasin, from £1,580, C.P.Hart (www.cphart.co.uk). Laufen’s slim units in gold would impress: Gold Kartell All Saints Mirror, £504.62 and Rifly Pendant Lamp, £335.27; Boutique Dark Oak Vanity Unit, £1,522.50.

MAKE A SPLASH “From cars to holidays, and clothing to furniture, customisation is one of the fastest growing consumer trends,” says Jayne Barnes, managing director, AQATA. “The discerning bathroom buyer now wants not only a highly engineered luxury shower enclosure or screen, handmade to fit their space, but also a completely individual customised design to 190 AUGUST 2017

bring their own character and personality into the bathroom. Home trends are being reflected in bathrooms with diverse colours, patterns and textures making their mark. “Today’s shower should incorporate these essential features: easy access (walk-in wet rooms are perfect for this), spacious enclosures and a steam function, as well as power showers and body jets to cater for comfort and wellbeing, and distinctive personal touches.” LOOK OUT FOR: Larger showers as they’re being given more space in either a bathroom or bedroom, plus frameless enclosures featuring coloured or tinted glass. TAP INTO STYLE: AQATA’s frameless Spectra Enclosure SP448, from £1,561, and Linneal Shower LNP241, £1,300 (for stockists, visit www.aqata.co.uk). Alternatively, Merlyn Showering has a Twin Panelled Double Shower Enclosure, from £345 per panel (www.merlynshowering.com).

“The discerning bathroom buyer now wants not only a highly engineered luxury shower enclosure or screen, handmade to fit their space, but also a completely individual customised design to bring their own character and personality into the bathroom” From left: Cielo Ceramica, I Catini washbasin, from £1,580, available from C.P.Hart; Polished brass and mirrored free standing washbasin, £14,770, available from Touched Interiors; Bubbles bath, £29,310; Polished carved cast brass free standing wash basin, £13,470; Crescent Mirror, £4,890, available from Touched Interiors. All images courtesy of PA Photo/Handout

LUXURY B ATHROOM GUIDE

Villeroy & Boch unveils Swarovski-studded bathtub

esign, premium quality and exclusivity – Villeroy & Boch combines these aspects in two extraordinary luxury products. Chinese star-designer Steve Leung has created an exclusive design for Octagon and Squaro Prestige with Swarovski crystals. The result is breathtaking. The pedestal washbasin and free-standing bath, wrapped in countless crystals, sparkle glamour and luxury never seen before.

Sparkling crystals Steve Leung’s design portrays mountain and water silhouettes using thousands of Swarovski crystals. Leung chose Swarovski Xirius Rose crystals in the three sizes 5 mm, 10 mm and 15 mm, which glitter brilliantly thanks to their special cut. Lovingly crafted, nearly 5,000 of these crystals were applied to the leather for the bath and more than 1,000 for the wash basin. They create a vivid effect of depth that appears even more magical with the sparkling precious crystals. Octagon and Squaro Prestige are not the first Villeroy & Boch premium products to have been refined with Swarovski crystals: various models in the LaFleur exclusive taps and fittings collection are 192 AUGUST 2017

“Steve Leung’s design portrays mountain and water silhouettes using thousands of Swarovski crystals”

also available with Swarovski crystals. An octagonal shape – the symbol of perfection since antiquity – has been given precise angles and thin walls for the Octagon pedestal washbasin. Thanks to the innovative TitanCeram material, a basin was created with an elegant Edelweiss Matt finish, complemented by delicate facets and a brilliant cut. The free-standing Quaryl® Squaro Prestige bath is a refined version of the exclusive Squaro Edge 12 bath and represents elegant uniqueness. Every single product has been painstakingly decorated by hand in a German factory. It comes in a choice of real wood veneers made of Rouble Burl Wood, Satin Walnut, Yew, European Oak and Smoked Oak, making every single bath a one-off. “Villeroy & Boch worked with Steve Leung in 2015, which caused quite a stir in the Asia Pacific region,” explains Xiaoming Bai, Brand Management Bathroom and Wellness at Villeroy & Boch. “We are confident that our latest collaboration will continue to increase the awareness of Villeroy & Boch as a European premium brand.” Villeroy & Boch is one of the world’s leading premium brands for ceramic products. As a renowned lifestyle brand, Villeroy & Boch offers products from the sectors Bathroom and Wellness and Tableware, and is active in 125 countries. www.villeroy-boch.co.uk

www.simply-burlingtonbathrooms.co.uk tel: 01277 233378 www.simply-lefroy.co.uk tel; 01277 233378

LUXURY B ATHROOM GUIDE

The foundation for perfection with Abbotswood Flooring

New flooring for beautiful homes Starting in 1959 and following in the footsteps of his father, Ted Thomas, the man behind Abbotswood Flooring, has been providing flooring services for over 50 years. During this time, Ted has travelled extensively throughout Europe gaining an enormous knowledge of wood and all types of flooring, specialising in solid hard wood, parquet, engineered wood and laminate.

rom large commercial projects working alongside designers and architects to smaller domestic installations, Ted still receives great pleasure from working with his customers in designing and laying floors. They offer a truly bespoke service; from the initial design through to the completion, they offer expert advice, designing the correct flooring system to meet your requirements and budget. Abbotswood Flooring is based in Wimbledon but cover most areas of London and the South East. They offer free no obligation planning and estimates for both wooden flooring and carpets. You are welcome to visit their showroom where they have a large range of samples for you to choose from or they are happy to arrange a home or site visit with samples. Abbotswood Flooring offer a carpet supply and bespoke fitting service, designed to meet the exact needs of your home. Once you’ve chosen your

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“Abbotswood Flooring is based in Wimbledon but cover most areas of London and the South East. They offer free no obligation planning and estimates for both wooden flooring and carpets”

perfect style, they will make sure it fits into each corner of the room snugly.Their extensive range of carpets include 100% wool, synthetic fittings, striped runners, velvets, sisals, and so much more. If you’d like to turn your home into a work of art, you might want to choose from the Amtico tile range. With a range of beautiful laying patterns available, you can create a look you’ll enjoy seeing every day. For beautiful new flooring that will last, contact Abbotswood Flooring, and they will cater for all your flooring needs. For more information about Abbotswood Flooring Ltd, 258 - 260 The Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1SB; Telephone 0207 938 1000 or 020 8543 9083 or email info@abbotswoodflooring.co.uk; www.abbotswoodflooring.co.uk

Beautiful flooring for beautiful homes

BESPOKE WOOD FLOORING LUXURY VINYL TILES STYLISH CARPETS EXPERT FITTING SERVICE For beautiful new flooring that will last,contact Abbotswood Flooring, and they will cater for all your flooring needs.

Abbotswood Flooring Ltd

258-260 The Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1SB Telephone: 020 8543 5083 or 020 7938 1000 Email: info@abbotswoodflooring.co.uk www.abbotswoodflooring.co.uk

LUXURY B ATHROOM GUIDE

tips for improving your bathroom

Redoing your bathroom can be a great opportunity to improve the layout, but there are lots of things to consider...

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1. If you’re happy with the layout of your bathroom, replacing the suite should be straightforward and relatively inexpensive, but if you want to change the layout, expect it to be more complicated and costly. Unless you’re a very experienced and competent DIYer, get a good plumber to do the work. They should be able to offer advice about changing the layout and what is and isn’t possible or advisable, as should a good bathroom/interior designer. A professional may think of things you haven’t, such as what you can and can’t do with the wastes, which could affect the layout and the products you choose. 2. If you’re not using a designer and rejigging the layout is proving tricky, try drawing the bathroom on graph paper. Draw the room’s features, such as the window, door, airing cupboard, etc, on one piece of graph paper and the fittings you want on another, using the same scale. Then draw different layouts on different pieces of graph paper and lay them over the first plan to see how they work, or make life simple and do all this on a computer or tablet! 3. Once you have a layout you’re happy with, it’s a good idea to make life-size templates of the fittings in cardboard to try in the room. Having an above-bath shower will restrict where you put the bath, for example, and you may come across other problems when placing your templates. Better still, try the actual loo, basin, bath, etc, when the room’s empty to see how they work together and in the space you have. If returning them isn’t a problem, you could try different loos, basins and baths if you’re unsure about which will work best. 4. Don’t forget to work out how much space is needed to comfortably use the loo and basin and to dry off after having a shower or bath. Pack in too much and you’ll find that your bathroom isn’t particularly easy, practical or pleasurable to use. It’s important to choose a suite that’s in proportion to

the size of the room. Straight baths, for example, come in different widths and lengths, but if you’ve got a really small or awkward space, a tapered bath may be ideal. If there’s more space, a shower bath, which is roomier at the shower end, can be a good choice. 5. Freestanding baths and separate shower cubicles need room to breathe, so squeezing them into a small space isn’t advisable. If your heart’s set on a freestanding bath, but you don’t have room, a freestanding-style shower bath is a good compromise. This looks like a freestanding bath, but the tap end and one side is flat so it sits flush against two walls, meaning you can have a shower above without water leaking down the sides onto the floor.

N o I N ry w l a ve I o e l N c e or De er l a P e mB e e S l r al F r P T e e D S m F m oF aN 15 u S S % eS D N 0 2 Ng e a r

slab Italian Porcelain Natural Stone Bespoke Fabrication

01494 670 866

sales@slabtiles.co.uk www.slabtiles.co.uk 2 The Broadway, Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire HP9 2PD

LUXURY B ATHROOM GUIDE

Marble and Wood-Effect dominates new tile launch Original Style launches new collection of contemporary tiles into its Tileworks range

he new additions are based on a few shared themes - modern, sleek, softshaded and large format, these new tiles create big, bold and dramatic statements. There’s a new stunning black marble tile, some textured decorated effect products and plenty of brand new wood-effect planks with subtle undulations similar to the feel of real wood but

“There’s a new stunning black marble tile, some textured decorated effect products and wood-effect planks”

offering the practicality of porcelain. The bestselling Montblanc collection has been extended to offer kit-kat format tiles in four original colourways including White, Pearl, Blue and Anthracite. With colours such as Dust, Smoke, Taupe and Ash, the new additions are not only classy but also versatile. Most of them are suitable for wet rooms and even shower floors, with excellent slip rsistance and both interior and exterior installation options available. There’s also a gorgeous geometric decor tile (part of the new Shadow collection) which coordinates beautifully with the plain ones to provide even more choice for that pared-back industrial look. www.originalstyle.com 198 AUGUST 2017