Stories 2 GBP

STORIES

STOR IES FOR W INTER

VOLUME 2 WINTER 2016

W E BELIEV E In making things properly. That simple is beautiful. And more than anything, that our homes should make us happy. Every day.

What we don’t believe in is shortcuts. So every one of our kitchen cabinets is designed as a freestanding piece of furniture. It means they’re made as they should be from every angle. Even the back of a cabinet deserves to be beautiful.

Suffolk kitchen by Neptune. Arundel oak dining table, £1,400. Keats pendant light, £74.

neptune.com Stores nationwide

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WINTER 2016

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“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand, and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.�

Edith Sitwell

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STORIES

WINTER 2016

Foreword

4

Features

It’s always hard to gauge reactions. Sometimes we get it spot on, other times eyebrows rise and we realise we misjudged things. When we created our first volume of Stories (Stories for autumn), we hoped it would be the former. And it seems that it was. Our email address stories@neptune.com has been flooded with the kindest emails. So for this second volume we open by saying thank you.

Now to volume two. Stories for winter might surprise you in some ways. You won’t find page after page of Yuletide recipes and gifting ideas. For us, winter isn’t defined by Christmas. It’s a season to be celebrated for reasons big and small, from the sound of crunching footsteps on a frosty path to presents under the tree. Our love for winter begins with those very first stirrings of a

new season. When autumn starts to fade away, and billowing puffs of breath in the air become an expected sight. So that’s where we begin. We’ll travel inside of the home and far beyond it. We’ll explore the season in every sense. The sights, the sounds, the scents, the tastes and the textures.

To all those who come here having read Stories for autumn, we hope you enjoy this second volume as much as the first. If not more. To all of those who join us for the very first time, we’re so glad you found us, and we hope you come away wanting to know more.

Merry Christmas.

Enjoy every moment of the magic.

HIBER NATE

5

While it is interesting to time a season by calendars and clocks, what about the simplest seasonal compass of them all? Instinct. The seasons are as much about a feeling as they are a date in the diary, if not more so.

T H E HOL LY A N D T H E I V Y

13

Christmas decorations. What are the first images that come to your mind when you hear those two words? Baubles? Fairy lights? Stockings? Perhaps a vintage snow globe?

W INTER’S LIGHT

55

We think of light first and foremost as a need. It guides and it enables. Without it, we feel lost. In its purest form – natural sunlight – it even has medicinal properties. But during the deepest and darkest months, our relationship with light alters. It becomes more complex. It almost becomes a paradox.

NEPTUNE.COM

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STORIES

WINTER 2016

Foreword

4

Features

It’s always hard to gauge reactions. Sometimes we get it spot on, other times eyebrows rise and we realise we misjudged things. When we created our first volume of Stories (Stories for autumn), we hoped it would be the former. And it seems that it was. Our email address stories@neptune.com has been flooded with the kindest emails. So for this second volume we open by saying thank you.

Now to volume two. Stories for winter might surprise you in some ways. You won’t find page after page of Yuletide recipes and gifting ideas. For us, winter isn’t defined by Christmas. It’s a season to be celebrated for reasons big and small, from the sound of crunching footsteps on a frosty path to presents under the tree. Our love for winter begins with those very first stirrings of a

new season. When autumn starts to fade away, and billowing puffs of breath in the air become an expected sight. So that’s where we begin. We’ll travel inside of the home and far beyond it. We’ll explore the season in every sense. The sights, the sounds, the scents, the tastes and the textures.

To all those who come here having read Stories for autumn, we hope you enjoy this second volume as much as the first. If not more. To all of those who join us for the very first time, we’re so glad you found us, and we hope you come away wanting to know more.

Merry Christmas.

Enjoy every moment of the magic.

HIBER NATE

5

While it is interesting to time a season by calendars and clocks, what about the simplest seasonal compass of them all? Instinct. The seasons are as much about a feeling as they are a date in the diary, if not more so.

T H E HOL LY A N D T H E I V Y

13

Christmas decorations. What are the first images that come to your mind when you hear those two words? Baubles? Fairy lights? Stockings? Perhaps a vintage snow globe?

W INTER’S LIGHT

55

We think of light first and foremost as a need. It guides and it enables. Without it, we feel lost. In its purest form – natural sunlight – it even has medicinal properties. But during the deepest and darkest months, our relationship with light alters. It becomes more complex. It almost becomes a paradox.

NEPTUNE.COM

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STORIES

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The specific timings of when each season starts and ends is not an exact science. Some people follow the meteorological calendar which dictates that the seasons are split into threemonth blocks. To them, each new season starts on the 1st of a month. Other people are guided by the astronomical calendar which maps the seasons based on the earth's rotational axis and orbit. The specific day on which a new season awakens, according to the astronomical calendar, can vary slightly. This year, winter will begin on 21st December.

HIBER NAT E

While all of this is interesting and indeed true, what about the simplest seasonal compass of them all? Instinct. The seasons are as much about a feeling as they are about a calendar date, if not more so. Today may feel like autumn to one person, and the early stirrings of winter to another.

Seasons are a state of mind, closely followed by a state of being.

Shoreditch small sofa in Pale Oat £1,670 Sefton throw in Cobble £170 Chancery candle holders £23/£29/£37

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STORIES

WINTER 2016

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The specific timings of when each season starts and ends is not an exact science. Some people follow the meteorological calendar which dictates that the seasons are split into threemonth blocks. To them, each new season starts on the 1st of a month. Other people are guided by the astronomical calendar which maps the seasons based on the earth's rotational axis and orbit. The specific day on which a new season awakens, according to the astronomical calendar, can vary slightly. This year, winter will begin on 21st December.

HIBER NAT E

While all of this is interesting and indeed true, what about the simplest seasonal compass of them all? Instinct. The seasons are as much about a feeling as they are about a calendar date, if not more so. Today may feel like autumn to one person, and the early stirrings of winter to another.

Seasons are a state of mind, closely followed by a state of being.

Shoreditch small sofa in Pale Oat £1,670 Sefton throw in Cobble £170 Chancery candle holders £23/£29/£37

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STORIES

Winter brings with it the urge to curl up.

We imagine getting home from a long day at work and hurrying home to our sofas. Legs tucked up and a blanket close to hand. This soon becomes a reality when you look outside and see grey skies and a persistent drizzle.

In late autumn, when the clocks go back and the dreaded dark evenings arrive, the phrase ‘batten down the hatches’ first crosses our minds. But winter? That’s when we enter full-on hibernation mode.

While we aren't able to hibernate like the bumblebee and hedgehog, many of us feel the need to hunker down during the chilliest (and soggiest) snaps of the year. And when we do decide to venture out, we do so armed with comforting thoughts of a cosy return. A roaring fireside, a big bowl of soup, or simply the sensation of walking into the wall of warmth that our homes so kindly provide for us.

From November through to February, our appetites tend to increase and we feel sleepy more often, but one of the loveliest things about the months that precede, and follow,

Christmas is that we're encouraged to listen to our seasonal instincts, to make time for a weekend nap, and to feast on hearty, wholesome one-pot meals. These notions alone are enough to convert summer lovers to winter worshippers.

The key to seeing winter as ‘celebration’ as opposed to ‘survival’ is about preparation.

Just as an animal will stock up on its food stores and feather the nest, literally, so should we.

A seasonal food shop to replenish larder cupboard essentials will make you feel restored. Even though you know you will go on further jaunts to the supermarket, deli or local farmer’s market, the ‘stocking up’ process is a therapeutic one that comforts and tells you that you have everything you and your family need. It’s like your nut store.

Changing your duvets to a higher tog and placing a snuggly blanket at the foot of the bed and over the arm of your sofa will reassure you that you'll never ever be chased by a chill. And instead of simply reading about layering in magazines, take it seriously and over-layer, because these are the months where the happiest people are those who are the warmest.

Happy hibernating.

PAGES 7-8 Olivia large sofa in Pale Oat £2,560 Arthur large stool in Ewan Dove £520 Laura scatter cushion in Emma Dove £80 Carter large console table £770 Cotswold Herringbone throw in Shingle £110 PAGE 10 Arundel 6 seater table £1,490 Arundel 3 seater bench £600 Delyth sheepskin rug £79 Betty glass baubles (set of 6) £33 Anabel glass baubles (set of 6) £23

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STORIES

Winter brings with it the urge to curl up.

We imagine getting home from a long day at work and hurrying home to our sofas. Legs tucked up and a blanket close to hand. This soon becomes a reality when you look outside and see grey skies and a persistent drizzle.

In late autumn, when the clocks go back and the dreaded dark evenings arrive, the phrase ‘batten down the hatches’ first crosses our minds. But winter? That’s when we enter full-on hibernation mode.

While we aren't able to hibernate like the bumblebee and hedgehog, many of us feel the need to hunker down during the chilliest (and soggiest) snaps of the year. And when we do decide to venture out, we do so armed with comforting thoughts of a cosy return. A roaring fireside, a big bowl of soup, or simply the sensation of walking into the wall of warmth that our homes so kindly provide for us.

From November through to February, our appetites tend to increase and we feel sleepy more often, but one of the loveliest things about the months that precede, and follow,

Christmas is that we're encouraged to listen to our seasonal instincts, to make time for a weekend nap, and to feast on hearty, wholesome one-pot meals. These notions alone are enough to convert summer lovers to winter worshippers.

The key to seeing winter as ‘celebration’ as opposed to ‘survival’ is about preparation.

Just as an animal will stock up on its food stores and feather the nest, literally, so should we.

A seasonal food shop to replenish larder cupboard essentials will make you feel restored. Even though you know you will go on further jaunts to the supermarket, deli or local farmer’s market, the ‘stocking up’ process is a therapeutic one that comforts and tells you that you have everything you and your family need. It’s like your nut store.

Changing your duvets to a higher tog and placing a snuggly blanket at the foot of the bed and over the arm of your sofa will reassure you that you'll never ever be chased by a chill. And instead of simply reading about layering in magazines, take it seriously and over-layer, because these are the months where the happiest people are those who are the warmest.

Happy hibernating.

PAGES 7-8 Olivia large sofa in Pale Oat £2,560 Arthur large stool in Ewan Dove £520 Laura scatter cushion in Emma Dove £80 Carter large console table £770 Cotswold Herringbone throw in Shingle £110 PAGE 10 Arundel 6 seater table £1,490 Arundel 3 seater bench £600 Delyth sheepskin rug £79 Betty glass baubles (set of 6) £33 Anabel glass baubles (set of 6) £23

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HIBER NAT ION ESSENTIALS All simple, all cosy, all rather lovely ways to stay snug: Pyjamas on the radiator. After a long and lazy bath, nothing quite beats getting into a fresh set of warmedup pyjamas.

Fingerless gloves. People who question the need for a set of fingerless gloves have either a) never worn them, or b) never worn them in the right circumstance – indoors.

They add another wintery dimension to your outfit and help you to stay extra warm without being impractical.

Low-key lighting. Swap your bulbs to ones at a lower wattage so the light is never too harsh (and always choose warm white as your shade). From there, think candle light. It might sound obvious, but their impact on a room should never be underestimated. We also like to put a few lamps on timers so that we wake up and come home to the loveliest lighting.

Warmth underfoot. Just as we have a winter duvet in a higher tog that stays nestled away until the nights turn cold, we also keep back a few rugs until we need as much warmth in our homes as possible. Deep pile or sheepskin are extra special, but any textile on bare wood or stone floors will be appreciated by all who step over your threshold.

Cotswold throw in Aqua £115 Cotswold throw in Heather Check £115 Morely throw in Off White £105 Ferne medium frosted wreath £19

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STORIES

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HIBER NAT ION ESSENTIALS All simple, all cosy, all rather lovely ways to stay snug: Pyjamas on the radiator. After a long and lazy bath, nothing quite beats getting into a fresh set of warmedup pyjamas.

Fingerless gloves. People who question the need for a set of fingerless gloves have either a) never worn them, or b) never worn them in the right circumstance – indoors.

They add another wintery dimension to your outfit and help you to stay extra warm without being impractical.

Low-key lighting. Swap your bulbs to ones at a lower wattage so the light is never too harsh (and always choose warm white as your shade). From there, think candle light. It might sound obvious, but their impact on a room should never be underestimated. We also like to put a few lamps on timers so that we wake up and come home to the loveliest lighting.

Warmth underfoot. Just as we have a winter duvet in a higher tog that stays nestled away until the nights turn cold, we also keep back a few rugs until we need as much warmth in our homes as possible. Deep pile or sheepskin are extra special, but any textile on bare wood or stone floors will be appreciated by all who step over your threshold.

Cotswold throw in Aqua £115 Cotswold throw in Heather Check £115 Morely throw in Off White £105 Ferne medium frosted wreath £19

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Christmas decorations. What are the first images that come to your mind when you hear those two words? Baubles? Fairy lights?

Stockings? Perhaps a vintage snow globe? These are but a few of the things that we dig out from boxes hidden in our attics or

T H E HOL LY THE IVY revisited

buy anew when Christmas is upon us and the time has come to festoon our homes. What about greenery though? For many, filling our homes with festive greenery comes much further down our decorations list. In fact, it may not feature at all on some. But leaf y greens are in our top three, jostling for the number one spot with the greenest statement of them all – the Christmas tree. From prickly holly to trailing iv y, the best Christmas interiors are those that let nature be their guide.

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WINTER 2016

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Christmas decorations. What are the first images that come to your mind when you hear those two words? Baubles? Fairy lights?

Stockings? Perhaps a vintage snow globe? These are but a few of the things that we dig out from boxes hidden in our attics or

T H E HOL LY THE IVY revisited

buy anew when Christmas is upon us and the time has come to festoon our homes. What about greenery though? For many, filling our homes with festive greenery comes much further down our decorations list. In fact, it may not feature at all on some. But leaf y greens are in our top three, jostling for the number one spot with the greenest statement of them all – the Christmas tree. From prickly holly to trailing iv y, the best Christmas interiors are those that let nature be their guide.

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STORIES

FOR AGE Picking fresh greenery from nearby woodlands and hedgerows is such a heart-warming festive activity.

What you snip can be used indoors, but we love to use it to decorate the exterior of our homes where their natural hardiness comes to the fore. Create a bower over your front and side doors, tease it around a drainpipe or through a gate’s spindles, rest it across window ledges. It’s important not to pick too early though, especially when it comes to holly. Otherwise, the beautiful sheen on the leaves will be lost, and as soon as we have a cold patch, the birds swoop in to eat the berries.

We asked Hannah (the wife of one of our founders) when in the season she tends to gather her greenery. She happens to be a self-taught floristry expert and is our go-to person for all things flora and fauna. “I collect my holly sometime in the second week of December and I plunge it into a bucket of cold water in the shed until it’s time to bring it inside. Every cut flower prefers the cold to a warm house. They just last longer. As for ivy, any time in the run-up to Christmas as it’s less time-sensitive than holly. Always pick branches that are longer than you think you need as you can always shorten them,” she advised.

THE GR E AT INDOOR S Foraged greenery works Christmas wonders indoors too. A mantel draped with a long trail of ivy is quite breathtaking. Or use it intertwined around a staircase’s spindles. But life-like greenery can be

just as effective and means you can achieve the same look but with much more ease. Busy lives, even busier work schedules, juggling friends, family and time to ourselves can all get in the way of planning a fairytale Christmas, and so life-like greenery provides us with a way to achieve the look that we hanker after, but with minimal fuss. An entire scheme can be built by creating layers of faux twigs and sprigs in one horizontal arrangement.

They can equally be used individually (think holly stems above the top-frames of artwork), or within a generous vase in a more classical composition but in over-the-top volumes – just because it’s Christmas. Weave in strands of fairy lights so their twinkling bulbs are visible between the leaves, and if you want even more volume and texture, blend together real and faux.

FESTIVE FLOR ALS Greenery may say Christmas the most, but flowers can still become part of a Christmas scheme. For Hannah, it all starts with paper whites. She places them inside big crumbling urns that she buys at antique fairs and shops in Tetbury. She layers them with moss, but this year will be trying something new by planting lots of baby ferns alongside the paper whites. Red poinsettias are another super traditional flower at this time of year, but Hannah suggests arranging them a little more unusually by using lots together in one huge container. They can then be used as a table’s centrepiece or placed either side of a doorway in any room of the home.

PAGE 16 Chichester 5ft potboard painted in Juniper £1,300 Erith tealight holders £16/£20/£33 Costwold Herringbone throw in Shingle £110

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STORIES

FOR AGE Picking fresh greenery from nearby woodlands and hedgerows is such a heart-warming festive activity.

What you snip can be used indoors, but we love to use it to decorate the exterior of our homes where their natural hardiness comes to the fore. Create a bower over your front and side doors, tease it around a drainpipe or through a gate’s spindles, rest it across window ledges. It’s important not to pick too early though, especially when it comes to holly. Otherwise, the beautiful sheen on the leaves will be lost, and as soon as we have a cold patch, the birds swoop in to eat the berries.

We asked Hannah (the wife of one of our founders) when in the season she tends to gather her greenery. She happens to be a self-taught floristry expert and is our go-to person for all things flora and fauna. “I collect my holly sometime in the second week of December and I plunge it into a bucket of cold water in the shed until it’s time to bring it inside. Every cut flower prefers the cold to a warm house. They just last longer. As for ivy, any time in the run-up to Christmas as it’s less time-sensitive than holly. Always pick branches that are longer than you think you need as you can always shorten them,” she advised.

THE GR E AT INDOOR S Foraged greenery works Christmas wonders indoors too. A mantel draped with a long trail of ivy is quite breathtaking. Or use it intertwined around a staircase’s spindles. But life-like greenery can be

just as effective and means you can achieve the same look but with much more ease. Busy lives, even busier work schedules, juggling friends, family and time to ourselves can all get in the way of planning a fairytale Christmas, and so life-like greenery provides us with a way to achieve the look that we hanker after, but with minimal fuss. An entire scheme can be built by creating layers of faux twigs and sprigs in one horizontal arrangement.

They can equally be used individually (think holly stems above the top-frames of artwork), or within a generous vase in a more classical composition but in over-the-top volumes – just because it’s Christmas. Weave in strands of fairy lights so their twinkling bulbs are visible between the leaves, and if you want even more volume and texture, blend together real and faux.

FESTIVE FLOR ALS Greenery may say Christmas the most, but flowers can still become part of a Christmas scheme. For Hannah, it all starts with paper whites. She places them inside big crumbling urns that she buys at antique fairs and shops in Tetbury. She layers them with moss, but this year will be trying something new by planting lots of baby ferns alongside the paper whites. Red poinsettias are another super traditional flower at this time of year, but Hannah suggests arranging them a little more unusually by using lots together in one huge container. They can then be used as a table’s centrepiece or placed either side of a doorway in any room of the home.

PAGE 16 Chichester 5ft potboard painted in Juniper £1,300 Erith tealight holders £16/£20/£33 Costwold Herringbone throw in Shingle £110

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STORIES

WINTER 2016

H A NNAH’S FESTIV E T W IGS A ND SPR IGS Greenery Holly Ivy Eucalyptus Pittosporum Norwegian spruce Silver dust Artichoke leaves Flowers Paper whites Red poinsettias Amaryllis Royal Velvet in particular Gypsophila Hydrangeas white ones for Christmas

MAKE AN ENTR ANCE The hallway is one of the most important parts of the home to decorate at Christmas time. It’s quite often the first part of your home that guests will see.

And not only guests, it’s the first thing that you’ll be greeted with day in, day out. So your hallway deserves to be viewed as a room in its own right, as opposed to being seen as a walk-through space to other rooms. When December arrives, the hallway is the place to set the scene for your Christmas theme. Sights, smells, textures, lighting – all of these elements have a place there and will delight anyone who enters into your home this way.

Start with the big parts: the stairway and the front door. Greenery through the spindles or along the handrail, as we touched on earlier, is a real

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must, gradually building up the density so it looks like the woodland has taken over. For the front door, the wreath needs to be something spectacular.

If you make your own, go large to create more impact, and then use the same elements that you’ll be featuring indoors such as holly, eucalyptus, a touch of gypsophila and perhaps a sprinkling of petals from dried hydrangea heads. If you want a less hands-on approach but with just as much stage presence, a pre-composed one is a reassuring alternative. Just add a few sprigs of fresh greenery as a final flourish. Candles in lanterns outside the front door is a lovely touch too.

MULTI-TASKING DESIGNS FOR HALLWAYS Not only are our hallways a fabulous festive entryway to our homes, but they’re also a very clever space that looks after back-up pieces of furniture that come out to play when guests descend. Take for example, the spare dining chair.

If your kitchen or dining space is more compact, it can mean that when Christmas comes, there aren’t enough dining chairs to seat everyone. A beautiful accent chair that can stand proud in a hallway all year long might be exactly what you need. Like Wardley. It looks fabulous in a hallway corner, or a pair either side with a tall and skinny flower stand in-between. Then on Christmas Day, it doubles up as an extra seat (or two) at the table so nobody is left sharing!

The holly and the ivy. Endlessly versatile.

Abundantly fresh. Uplifting, glossy and deliciously green. It’s quite right that they have their very own carol.

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17

STORIES

WINTER 2016

H A NNAH’S FESTIV E T W IGS A ND SPR IGS Greenery Holly Ivy Eucalyptus Pittosporum Norwegian spruce Silver dust Artichoke leaves Flowers Paper whites Red poinsettias Amaryllis Royal Velvet in particular Gypsophila Hydrangeas white ones for Christmas

MAKE AN ENTR ANCE The hallway is one of the most important parts of the home to decorate at Christmas time. It’s quite often the first part of your home that guests will see.

And not only guests, it’s the first thing that you’ll be greeted with day in, day out. So your hallway deserves to be viewed as a room in its own right, as opposed to being seen as a walk-through space to other rooms. When December arrives, the hallway is the place to set the scene for your Christmas theme. Sights, smells, textures, lighting – all of these elements have a place there and will delight anyone who enters into your home this way.

Start with the big parts: the stairway and the front door. Greenery through the spindles or along the handrail, as we touched on earlier, is a real

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18

must, gradually building up the density so it looks like the woodland has taken over. For the front door, the wreath needs to be something spectacular.

If you make your own, go large to create more impact, and then use the same elements that you’ll be featuring indoors such as holly, eucalyptus, a touch of gypsophila and perhaps a sprinkling of petals from dried hydrangea heads. If you want a less hands-on approach but with just as much stage presence, a pre-composed one is a reassuring alternative. Just add a few sprigs of fresh greenery as a final flourish. Candles in lanterns outside the front door is a lovely touch too.

MULTI-TASKING DESIGNS FOR HALLWAYS Not only are our hallways a fabulous festive entryway to our homes, but they’re also a very clever space that looks after back-up pieces of furniture that come out to play when guests descend. Take for example, the spare dining chair.

If your kitchen or dining space is more compact, it can mean that when Christmas comes, there aren’t enough dining chairs to seat everyone. A beautiful accent chair that can stand proud in a hallway all year long might be exactly what you need. Like Wardley. It looks fabulous in a hallway corner, or a pair either side with a tall and skinny flower stand in-between. Then on Christmas Day, it doubles up as an extra seat (or two) at the table so nobody is left sharing!

The holly and the ivy. Endlessly versatile.

Abundantly fresh. Uplifting, glossy and deliciously green. It’s quite right that they have their very own carol.

10/21/2016 8:09:27 PM

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STORIES

WINTER 2016

20

See our online journal for more tips from Hannah on flowering arranging using real and life-like stems, and peruse our Flower Shop online or in store for festive foliage to use in your own Christmas arrangements.

Balmoral round 4 seater table ÂŁ1,570 Charlton round vase ÂŁ79

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See our online journal for more tips from Hannah on flowering arranging using real and life-like stems, and peruse our Flower Shop online or in store for festive foliage to use in your own Christmas arrangements.

Balmoral round 4 seater table ÂŁ1,570 Charlton round vase ÂŁ79

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STORIES

T HIS IS HOW we do decorations beyond the tree

Tradition is a fabulous source of inspiration. The well-trodden pathways of what’s been done before give us ideas that we can trust, ideas that we know well, and ideas that have been enjoyed in our families for generations. But we’re also big believers in creating new traditions. And we find it especially exciting at Christmas. Decorations are there to make us smile, so play with them, think outside the box, and do something that your parents, grandparents and great great great grandparents would never have dreamed of.

This is Aqua Blue. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

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STORIES

T HIS IS HOW we do decorations beyond the tree

Tradition is a fabulous source of inspiration. The well-trodden pathways of what’s been done before give us ideas that we can trust, ideas that we know well, and ideas that have been enjoyed in our families for generations. But we’re also big believers in creating new traditions. And we find it especially exciting at Christmas. Decorations are there to make us smile, so play with them, think outside the box, and do something that your parents, grandparents and great great great grandparents would never have dreamed of.

This is Aqua Blue. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

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STORIES

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WINTER 2016

Comfort in candles Simple tealights hammocked in a pretty glass teardrop, woody festive holders that create Christmas silhouettes around the home, coloured pillar candles within pine cone-filled hurricane lanterns. Candles are one of the most simple Christmas decorations. There’s a place for them in every room of your home, and they’re the easiest way to spread Christmas cheer to every single corner.

The humble bauble Works wonders away from the tree. Hang them in a cluster with some festive foliage to hook from seat backs and door knobs.

Branch out The beauty of the evergreen isn’t just its colour, it’s how it can be used in a wealth of ways, from offcuts and twigs, to long-arm branches and full tree form. Suspend a branch using invisible wire and then let hanging decorations bob in a long line like a row of chimes.

Neve Baubles (set of 6) £120 Wingfield small jar £16 Belmont medium jar £36 Ennis tree and star tealight holders £5/£7 Millie hanging decorations £10

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Light up A single strand of fairy lights or a few in a sugar-strand nest are just perfect for filling a glass jar.

Go for a battery powered option like Grosvenor so there’s no need to worry about plug and socket.

Erith tealight holders £16/£20/£33 Piccadilly serving bowl £38 Kate hanging tealight holder £8

10/21/2016 8:13:41 PM

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STORIES

24

WINTER 2016

Comfort in candles Simple tealights hammocked in a pretty glass teardrop, woody festive holders that create Christmas silhouettes around the home, coloured pillar candles within pine cone-filled hurricane lanterns. Candles are one of the most simple Christmas decorations. There’s a place for them in every room of your home, and they’re the easiest way to spread Christmas cheer to every single corner.

The humble bauble Works wonders away from the tree. Hang them in a cluster with some festive foliage to hook from seat backs and door knobs.

Branch out The beauty of the evergreen isn’t just its colour, it’s how it can be used in a wealth of ways, from offcuts and twigs, to long-arm branches and full tree form. Suspend a branch using invisible wire and then let hanging decorations bob in a long line like a row of chimes.

Neve Baubles (set of 6) £120 Wingfield small jar £16 Belmont medium jar £36 Ennis tree and star tealight holders £5/£7 Millie hanging decorations £10

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Light up A single strand of fairy lights or a few in a sugar-strand nest are just perfect for filling a glass jar.

Go for a battery powered option like Grosvenor so there’s no need to worry about plug and socket.

Erith tealight holders £16/£20/£33 Piccadilly serving bowl £38 Kate hanging tealight holder £8

10/21/2016 8:13:41 PM

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WINTER 2016

THE A RT Passing on an heirloom is a wonderful thing, but it doesn’t always have to be an antique. For example, the table I use as my office desk is the one that I inherited from my parents’ kitchen. It’s a simple pine drop-leaf table with a drawer that used to house cutlery and is now full of pens and notebooks. It served my family well – and has the patina to prove it. It’s where my brother and I squabbled our way through breakfast times, where my mother made loaves of soda bread and where she and I sat over endless cups of tea. I love sitting at it.

OF BU Y ING But, I admit, not all the furniture in our home has such good provenance. I’ve made that spirit-sapping trip to the recycling centre – the ‘Drive of Shame’, as we call it – too many times to recall. I’d reached that point when you want that piece of broken, redundant or just plain unstylish furniture out of your life.

We’ve all been there. That armchair that was never very comfortable, but was too good a bargain to resist.

The flimsy MDF wardrobe that, irritatingly, never closed properly…

WELL

BY JO LEEV ERS

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10/21/2016 8:14:13 PM

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WINTER 2016

THE A RT Passing on an heirloom is a wonderful thing, but it doesn’t always have to be an antique. For example, the table I use as my office desk is the one that I inherited from my parents’ kitchen. It’s a simple pine drop-leaf table with a drawer that used to house cutlery and is now full of pens and notebooks. It served my family well – and has the patina to prove it. It’s where my brother and I squabbled our way through breakfast times, where my mother made loaves of soda bread and where she and I sat over endless cups of tea. I love sitting at it.

OF BU Y ING But, I admit, not all the furniture in our home has such good provenance. I’ve made that spirit-sapping trip to the recycling centre – the ‘Drive of Shame’, as we call it – too many times to recall. I’d reached that point when you want that piece of broken, redundant or just plain unstylish furniture out of your life.

We’ve all been there. That armchair that was never very comfortable, but was too good a bargain to resist.

The flimsy MDF wardrobe that, irritatingly, never closed properly…

WELL

BY JO LEEV ERS

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10/21/2016 8:14:13 PM

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STORIES

The answer, of course, is to buy once and buy well. To opt for pieces that are well crafted.

Furniture that is designed with longevity in mind, rather than quick profit. That’s finished by hand and closes with a satisfying click. And blends seamlessly with the best pieces in your home.

As Christmas nears, this realisation can become even more apparent, as we brace ourselves for a slew of new ‘stuff ’. I love my in-laws dearly, but I’m expecting at least one gift that I’ll secrete at the back of the cupboard until the next charity shop drop.

The good news is, we’re all witnessing a global shift in thinking. It’s got to the point when even Ikea’s head of sustainability, Steve Howard, thinks that we’re reaching the limit of our appetite for buying the disposable. Yes, he means the throwaway furniture, knick knacks and piles of tealight holders that won’t see us into next year, let alone the next decade.

The term for this backlash is ‘peak stuff ’. It’s the point at which our capacity to enjoy accumulating has peaked. It’s when all the ‘stuff ’ we have stops making us feel happy. It starts feeling like a burden.

It becomes clutter rather than pieces that you want to surround yourself with – and then pass on to the next generation.

Furniture that lasts the course is worth far more than the price tag attached to it. It’s been made with thought, craftsmanship and care. And the result is

a table, cabinet or wardrobe that makes you feel good each time you use it.

A sure sign that we have reached ‘peak stuff ’ is the fact that decluttering is now an art form.

Japanese declutterer Marie Kondo writes about it in her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. She enjoins us all to whittle down our belongings to only essential items that genuinely ‘spark joy’. One advocate refined her life to the point where she no longer needed her vegetable peeler. And she actively enjoyed shedding that tool from her spartan kitchen.

Now, I quite like my vegetable peeler. And I love my kitchen. But I didn’t always and I learned the hard way that, if you want a kitchen to last, you have to invest in quality.

Dame Vivienne Westwood puts it like this: ‘Buy less, choose well.’ It’s an ethos that works for a kitchen dresser as well as for a party dress.

When we buy well, everyone wins. I’m pretty sure that when my parents bought their first, solidly made and nicely turned kitchen table, they never imagined it would last this long. But I’m very glad they did.

JO LEEVERS writes for some of the UK’s most acclaimed lifestyle magazines and national newspapers, from The Telegraph to Homes & Antiques.

PAGE 25 Olivia armchair in Pale Oat £1,310 Carter rectangular side table £340 Tenbury lamp with Oliver shade £136 PAGE 28 Chichester 5ft open rack dresser painted in Fog £2,500 Corinium tall pot £230 Mayfield jumbo mugs (set of 6) £54

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STORIES

The answer, of course, is to buy once and buy well. To opt for pieces that are well crafted.

Furniture that is designed with longevity in mind, rather than quick profit. That’s finished by hand and closes with a satisfying click. And blends seamlessly with the best pieces in your home.

As Christmas nears, this realisation can become even more apparent, as we brace ourselves for a slew of new ‘stuff ’. I love my in-laws dearly, but I’m expecting at least one gift that I’ll secrete at the back of the cupboard until the next charity shop drop.

The good news is, we’re all witnessing a global shift in thinking. It’s got to the point when even Ikea’s head of sustainability, Steve Howard, thinks that we’re reaching the limit of our appetite for buying the disposable. Yes, he means the throwaway furniture, knick knacks and piles of tealight holders that won’t see us into next year, let alone the next decade.

The term for this backlash is ‘peak stuff ’. It’s the point at which our capacity to enjoy accumulating has peaked. It’s when all the ‘stuff ’ we have stops making us feel happy. It starts feeling like a burden.

It becomes clutter rather than pieces that you want to surround yourself with – and then pass on to the next generation.

Furniture that lasts the course is worth far more than the price tag attached to it. It’s been made with thought, craftsmanship and care. And the result is

a table, cabinet or wardrobe that makes you feel good each time you use it.

A sure sign that we have reached ‘peak stuff ’ is the fact that decluttering is now an art form.

Japanese declutterer Marie Kondo writes about it in her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. She enjoins us all to whittle down our belongings to only essential items that genuinely ‘spark joy’. One advocate refined her life to the point where she no longer needed her vegetable peeler. And she actively enjoyed shedding that tool from her spartan kitchen.

Now, I quite like my vegetable peeler. And I love my kitchen. But I didn’t always and I learned the hard way that, if you want a kitchen to last, you have to invest in quality.

Dame Vivienne Westwood puts it like this: ‘Buy less, choose well.’ It’s an ethos that works for a kitchen dresser as well as for a party dress.

When we buy well, everyone wins. I’m pretty sure that when my parents bought their first, solidly made and nicely turned kitchen table, they never imagined it would last this long. But I’m very glad they did.

JO LEEVERS writes for some of the UK’s most acclaimed lifestyle magazines and national newspapers, from The Telegraph to Homes & Antiques.

PAGE 25 Olivia armchair in Pale Oat £1,310 Carter rectangular side table £340 Tenbury lamp with Oliver shade £136 PAGE 28 Chichester 5ft open rack dresser painted in Fog £2,500 Corinium tall pot £230 Mayfield jumbo mugs (set of 6) £54

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BEHIND THE SCENES Notes from a stylist Whenever we do our Christmas photoshoots, those involving a dining table are the most exciting.

It’s the image that’s usurped the one of the Christmas tree. It’s overtaken the festive fireplace. Delicious food and gathering those closest to you around the table is the most cherished part of Christmas Day, and so it’s no surprise that it’s become the most memorable setting in the entire house.

Last year, our shot of the season saw a beautiful branch suspended over the Arundel dining table see page 10. We brought it home from a woodland walk and lavishly decorated it with twinkling fairy lights and glistening baubles. The benches either side were draped with cosy sheepskin rugs and velvet cushions.

This year, we were guided by the inspiration that fuelled our entire autumn/winter collection: modern mixology. It blends contemporary craft and subversive styling with heritage materials and traditional silhouettes. And it will translate to city loft apartment as much as it will to country retreat.

The best bit? It’s really rather easy to recreate.

Here’s how.

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10/21/2016 8:14:52 PM

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STORIES

BEHIND THE SCENES Notes from a stylist Whenever we do our Christmas photoshoots, those involving a dining table are the most exciting.

It’s the image that’s usurped the one of the Christmas tree. It’s overtaken the festive fireplace. Delicious food and gathering those closest to you around the table is the most cherished part of Christmas Day, and so it’s no surprise that it’s become the most memorable setting in the entire house.

Last year, our shot of the season saw a beautiful branch suspended over the Arundel dining table see page 10. We brought it home from a woodland walk and lavishly decorated it with twinkling fairy lights and glistening baubles. The benches either side were draped with cosy sheepskin rugs and velvet cushions.

This year, we were guided by the inspiration that fuelled our entire autumn/winter collection: modern mixology. It blends contemporary craft and subversive styling with heritage materials and traditional silhouettes. And it will translate to city loft apartment as much as it will to country retreat.

The best bit? It’s really rather easy to recreate.

Here’s how.

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WINTER 2016

32

T H E CEN T R E S TAGE PER FOR M ER S The table that we’ve chosen to use is the newlyreleased Balmoral. It’s a classic refectory table with sculpted baluster legs and an oak pedigree, but the heavily brushed finish gives it a bit of edge. It looks at its best in larger spaces. Why it works It’s a timeless design so that immediately gives the look real gravitas. Its size and splendour are a little majestic and are perfectly suited to occasions as special as Christmas Day. And because it’s solid oak, even without trying, there’s a whisper of winter forest to the scheme, which is one of our favourite festive references.

The chairs are armchairs. If you’re like us, and long for the comforting embrace of a sofa or squishy armchair after you’ve been sat on a wooden chair for a little too long, then this idea will resonate particularly well with you. Christmas is a time for generosity and luxury, so if you have the space, sit upon armchairs while you feast instead of a traditional dining chair. We’ve used our William chairs. Why it works Because it’s decadent.

Because it’s doing things differently. More than that, it’s doing something that we’ll instinctively think won’t work while wishing it could. It works because there’s space in the room. It works because every fabric is different, making each chair feel even more special. If you’re a little more limited on space, add in a handsome dining chair or two to break things up, but always with a blanket draped over its back or a cushion on its seat.

The decorations are home-made. Pinwheels are so easy to make, even for less-artistic types, and children will just love to help. We’ve used a variation of sizes and decorative touches so the look isn’t too consistent and keeps the eye entertained.

Take a sheet of normal A4 paper to practise on. Concertina it (like when you made pretend fans as a child) and then press all the folds together. Make a simple triangle-shaped snip into the one side, cutting through all of the folds, and then open it out into a semi-circle shape.

Repeat identically on another sheet of A4 and join them together to form one big circle. You can do as many practice-goes as you need, experimenting with size and design, and then move on to the real thing, hanging them using festive ribbon or baker’s twine and suspending them from beams, rafters and anything else that’s above your table. Mix in some long sprigs and fallen twigs from fir trees, speckled with fairy lights. Create a contemporary monochrome paper chain. And then they all hang together, overlapping, occasionally entangling and absolutely mesmerising. Why it works Paper pinwheels are so nostalgic that they can’t help but make you smile. They’re quite minimal in their looks and so have a subtle Nordic-ness to them which brings another style dimension to your scheme. And they’re unexpected. Surprises are an integral part of Christmas Day after all.

PAGES 29-30 Balmoral 8 seater dining table £2,990 William armchair in Isla Fox £680 Amelia armchair in Emma Dove £720 Wardley painted chair £255 Highbury candle sticks £22/£30/£40 Hoxton white wine glasses (set of 6) £40 Neve bauble (set of 6) £120

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WINTER 2016

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T H E CEN T R E S TAGE PER FOR M ER S The table that we’ve chosen to use is the newlyreleased Balmoral. It’s a classic refectory table with sculpted baluster legs and an oak pedigree, but the heavily brushed finish gives it a bit of edge. It looks at its best in larger spaces. Why it works It’s a timeless design so that immediately gives the look real gravitas. Its size and splendour are a little majestic and are perfectly suited to occasions as special as Christmas Day. And because it’s solid oak, even without trying, there’s a whisper of winter forest to the scheme, which is one of our favourite festive references.

The chairs are armchairs. If you’re like us, and long for the comforting embrace of a sofa or squishy armchair after you’ve been sat on a wooden chair for a little too long, then this idea will resonate particularly well with you. Christmas is a time for generosity and luxury, so if you have the space, sit upon armchairs while you feast instead of a traditional dining chair. We’ve used our William chairs. Why it works Because it’s decadent.

Because it’s doing things differently. More than that, it’s doing something that we’ll instinctively think won’t work while wishing it could. It works because there’s space in the room. It works because every fabric is different, making each chair feel even more special. If you’re a little more limited on space, add in a handsome dining chair or two to break things up, but always with a blanket draped over its back or a cushion on its seat.

The decorations are home-made. Pinwheels are so easy to make, even for less-artistic types, and children will just love to help. We’ve used a variation of sizes and decorative touches so the look isn’t too consistent and keeps the eye entertained.

Take a sheet of normal A4 paper to practise on. Concertina it (like when you made pretend fans as a child) and then press all the folds together. Make a simple triangle-shaped snip into the one side, cutting through all of the folds, and then open it out into a semi-circle shape.

Repeat identically on another sheet of A4 and join them together to form one big circle. You can do as many practice-goes as you need, experimenting with size and design, and then move on to the real thing, hanging them using festive ribbon or baker’s twine and suspending them from beams, rafters and anything else that’s above your table. Mix in some long sprigs and fallen twigs from fir trees, speckled with fairy lights. Create a contemporary monochrome paper chain. And then they all hang together, overlapping, occasionally entangling and absolutely mesmerising. Why it works Paper pinwheels are so nostalgic that they can’t help but make you smile. They’re quite minimal in their looks and so have a subtle Nordic-ness to them which brings another style dimension to your scheme. And they’re unexpected. Surprises are an integral part of Christmas Day after all.

PAGES 29-30 Balmoral 8 seater dining table £2,990 William armchair in Isla Fox £680 Amelia armchair in Emma Dove £720 Wardley painted chair £255 Highbury candle sticks £22/£30/£40 Hoxton white wine glasses (set of 6) £40 Neve bauble (set of 6) £120

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WINTER 2016

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THE SUPPORTING CAST

The tabletop is still one of the most important parts of this entire scheme, but it takes on a quieter role upon first glance as you’re immediately drawn to the larger-scale pieces. We always like to bring in foliage from outdoors (see the article on page 13 for more ideas) and use it as the centrepiece, but because we’ve used it above our tables this year, it means space is freed up to let the surroundings sing. Always intersperse candles though – some on holders, some in tealight cups, some stood alone – and fill each soup bowl with a glistening bauble or golden decoration. Why it works There’s a lot going on and that’s what makes it so special. It’s over the top in loveliness, it’s purposefully higgledy piggedly, it’s relaxed but refined, and the colours are muted except for the flash of antiqued gold here and there.

Life.

G OOD FOOD. G OOD M USIC .

FA M I LY G A M E S. A N D A G O OD BO OK .

Just a few of life’s loveliest pleasures.

The floor is herringbone parquet. This is not a must. It’s not a quick fi x. But it deserved a mention.

Why it works The wide and long slats are much more of-the-now than traditional parquet so it creates an interesting interplay between old and new which is what this whole look is about. And let’s be honest, when does parquet ever not deserve a wholehearted round of applause?

This is Chestnut. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

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10/21/2016 8:16:03 PM

33

STORIES

WINTER 2016

34

THE SUPPORTING CAST

The tabletop is still one of the most important parts of this entire scheme, but it takes on a quieter role upon first glance as you’re immediately drawn to the larger-scale pieces. We always like to bring in foliage from outdoors (see the article on page 13 for more ideas) and use it as the centrepiece, but because we’ve used it above our tables this year, it means space is freed up to let the surroundings sing. Always intersperse candles though – some on holders, some in tealight cups, some stood alone – and fill each soup bowl with a glistening bauble or golden decoration. Why it works There’s a lot going on and that’s what makes it so special. It’s over the top in loveliness, it’s purposefully higgledy piggedly, it’s relaxed but refined, and the colours are muted except for the flash of antiqued gold here and there.

Life.

G OOD FOOD. G OOD M USIC .

FA M I LY G A M E S. A N D A G O OD BO OK .

Just a few of life’s loveliest pleasures.

The floor is herringbone parquet. This is not a must. It’s not a quick fi x. But it deserved a mention.

Why it works The wide and long slats are much more of-the-now than traditional parquet so it creates an interesting interplay between old and new which is what this whole look is about. And let’s be honest, when does parquet ever not deserve a wholehearted round of applause?

This is Chestnut. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

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10/21/2016 8:16:03 PM

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STORIES

In the kitchen Home-made soups, winter-fruit crumbles, one-pot wonders that bubble in the oven for hours on end – wintery eats conjure up different images for different people, but they all share that same cosseting kind of warmth.

One of our favourite meals to prepare during these early winter months is a home-made chicken broth. Hearty and healthy at the same time, we like to make ours with plump pearl barley and lots of colourful root vegetables that have just come into season.

We’ve also included a wonderfully simple chutney, because if there’s one time of year to make chutney, it’s now. Keep it just for you, safe behind pantry doors, or make a large batch and generously spoon it into Kilner jars to give as a thoughtful, festive gift for neighbours.

Tuck in.

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10/21/2016 8:16:33 PM

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STORIES

In the kitchen Home-made soups, winter-fruit crumbles, one-pot wonders that bubble in the oven for hours on end – wintery eats conjure up different images for different people, but they all share that same cosseting kind of warmth.

One of our favourite meals to prepare during these early winter months is a home-made chicken broth. Hearty and healthy at the same time, we like to make ours with plump pearl barley and lots of colourful root vegetables that have just come into season.

We’ve also included a wonderfully simple chutney, because if there’s one time of year to make chutney, it’s now. Keep it just for you, safe behind pantry doors, or make a large batch and generously spoon it into Kilner jars to give as a thoughtful, festive gift for neighbours.

Tuck in.

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10/21/2016 8:16:33 PM

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STORIES

WINTER 2016

Chicken and barley winter’s broth

SERV E S 4-6 We suggest making this following a roast dinner to make the most of any remaining chicken.

Or, make it your centrepiece by using the scrummiest free-range chicken you can find.

W H AT YOU’LL NEED For the stock For the broth 1 cooked chicken carcass 1 litre home-made chicken stock 3 celery sticks roughly chopped using the recipe to the right 1 large bay leaf fresh 1 free-range chicken cooked and shredded 1 sprig of thyme fresh 150g pearl barley 1 large onion roughly chopped 250g squash in generous chunks 1 carrot as above 250g parsnips as above ½ leek once again, roughly chopped 2 carrots roughly chopped A sprinkling of black peppercorns 1 large white onion finely diced 1 stick of celery finely chopped A handful of kale torn and shredded 1 bay leaf A knob of slightly salted butter A pinch of salt A dash of pepper A dollop of crème fraîche for serving

This is Lead Light. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

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38

W H AT TO DO 1 Start by making your chicken broth. Strip the chicken carcass of any meat, keeping any of the tasty parts for your broth. Then tear the carcass into little bits, dropping them into a deep saucepan. If you have any leftover skin or jelly, those can be added for extra flavour. Add to this your chopped vegetables and herbs it should all fit rather snugly, and pour over 1-1.5 litres of cold water so that everything is covered, just.

2 Now bring your pan to the boil, and as soon as you see bubbles, let it simmer – uncovered – for at least three hours, adding your peppercorns for the last hour or so. You can top up the water once, or even twice, if needed. When the time is up, strain your stock mixture using a fine sieve into a big-enough bowl and leave it to chill.

Note: a layer of fat will appear at the top of the stock which you can either scrape off or leave for a fuller flavour. And that’s it.

3 Stock made, it’s onto the broth. Taking another large saucepan, tip in the barley and cover with cold water. Bring it to the boil and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t catch.

4 When the time is up, drain it and leave it in the pan. Pour the chicken stock over the top and simmer once more so the barley begins to take on the flavour of your home-made stock. We like to let it gently bubble for about 20 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, add the butter to either a frying pan or saucepan. Sauté the onions and celery for five minutes before adding the squash, parsnips and carrots and cooking on a low heat for a further 10 minutes. The kale can go in for the final few minutes to sweat down slightly. This step is to help sweeten the flavour of the vegetables before they get added to the broth.

6 If after 20 minutes the barley is cooked to your liking, add the sautéed vegetables to the broth and let them cook through on a medium-high heat until tender.

7 For the final few minutes, take your reserved chicken meat and spoon that into the broth to warm. Taste, season, taste again, and serve immediately in a deep bowl with a good chunk of bread at the side we suggest soda and a generous spoonful of crème fraîche on top.

NEPTUNE.COM

10/21/2016 8:16:50 PM

37

STORIES

WINTER 2016

Chicken and barley winter’s broth

SERV E S 4-6 We suggest making this following a roast dinner to make the most of any remaining chicken.

Or, make it your centrepiece by using the scrummiest free-range chicken you can find.

W H AT YOU’LL NEED For the stock For the broth 1 cooked chicken carcass 1 litre home-made chicken stock 3 celery sticks roughly chopped using the recipe to the right 1 large bay leaf fresh 1 free-range chicken cooked and shredded 1 sprig of thyme fresh 150g pearl barley 1 large onion roughly chopped 250g squash in generous chunks 1 carrot as above 250g parsnips as above ½ leek once again, roughly chopped 2 carrots roughly chopped A sprinkling of black peppercorns 1 large white onion finely diced 1 stick of celery finely chopped A handful of kale torn and shredded 1 bay leaf A knob of slightly salted butter A pinch of salt A dash of pepper A dollop of crème fraîche for serving

This is Lead Light. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 37-38

38

W H AT TO DO 1 Start by making your chicken broth. Strip the chicken carcass of any meat, keeping any of the tasty parts for your broth. Then tear the carcass into little bits, dropping them into a deep saucepan. If you have any leftover skin or jelly, those can be added for extra flavour. Add to this your chopped vegetables and herbs it should all fit rather snugly, and pour over 1-1.5 litres of cold water so that everything is covered, just.

2 Now bring your pan to the boil, and as soon as you see bubbles, let it simmer – uncovered – for at least three hours, adding your peppercorns for the last hour or so. You can top up the water once, or even twice, if needed. When the time is up, strain your stock mixture using a fine sieve into a big-enough bowl and leave it to chill.

Note: a layer of fat will appear at the top of the stock which you can either scrape off or leave for a fuller flavour. And that’s it.

3 Stock made, it’s onto the broth. Taking another large saucepan, tip in the barley and cover with cold water. Bring it to the boil and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t catch.

4 When the time is up, drain it and leave it in the pan. Pour the chicken stock over the top and simmer once more so the barley begins to take on the flavour of your home-made stock. We like to let it gently bubble for about 20 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, add the butter to either a frying pan or saucepan. Sauté the onions and celery for five minutes before adding the squash, parsnips and carrots and cooking on a low heat for a further 10 minutes. The kale can go in for the final few minutes to sweat down slightly. This step is to help sweeten the flavour of the vegetables before they get added to the broth.

6 If after 20 minutes the barley is cooked to your liking, add the sautéed vegetables to the broth and let them cook through on a medium-high heat until tender.

7 For the final few minutes, take your reserved chicken meat and spoon that into the broth to warm. Taste, season, taste again, and serve immediately in a deep bowl with a good chunk of bread at the side we suggest soda and a generous spoonful of crème fraîche on top.

NEPTUNE.COM

10/21/2016 8:16:50 PM

39

STORIES

WINTER 2016

40

Spiced apple chutney It’s usually the weekend before Christmas that we make a batch of chutney.

Or if we’ve been able to steal a few days off before the big day arrives, we’ll do it then.

It’s one of the loveliest ways to spend a festive afternoon, in the warm, surrounded by delicious smells, creating something that you’ll enjoy throughout the year. One of our favourite Christmas-time chutneys is made using spiced apples and dates.

The dates are full of natural sugars, so there’s no need to use caster, which makes us love this recipe all the more.

W H AT TO DO MAKES 4 half-pint jars

W H AT YOU’LL NEED 5 Granny Smith apples peeled and diced 350ml apple cider vinegar 110g dates pitted and chopped 110g shallots minced 75g sultanas 40g crystalised ginger chopped 2 star anise 1 cinnamon stick 1 tsp red chilli flakes 1 tsp sea salt flakes ½ tsp cardamom

1 Find a medium-sized pan and fill with all of the ingredients to the left. Give them a good stir and place the pan on a high heat.

2 Bring the pan to the boil. Once bubbling, reduce to a medium-high heat.

3 Let it cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring every now and then so it doesn’t stick. You’ll know when to stop when the chutney doesn’t look so watery and the apples are soft enough that you can mush them. Then lower the heat and let the mixture thicken. This can take up to 10 minutes.

5 Spoon out the cinnamon stick and star anise pieces. Then have a little taste of the mixture to check you’re happy. If you’d like it spicier, add a little more chilli. If you’d like it sweeter, pop in another diced date.

6 Portion the mixture into your jars and dunk them into a tub filled with hot water for 15 minutes. The water should only come up to the jar lid, and not above it just in case any water gets into the jar.

7 Once the 15 minutes are up, carefully take the jars out and pop them onto a tea towel to dry.

When they’re cool enough to handle, you can store any sealed jars at room temperature, but any unsealed ones will need to go into the fridge and used within a few days. So try to use sealed if you can to make life easier.

It’s important to put the chutney into thoroughly clean jars. Wash them in hot soapy water, but do not dry them. Leave them to stand upside down on a roasting tray, and then pop them into a pre-heated oven at 160ºC for about 15 minutes.

Take them out just before ladling in the chutney – that way, everything is squeaky clean and ready to be sealed.

This is Fog. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 39-40

10/21/2016 8:17:03 PM

39

STORIES

WINTER 2016

40

Spiced apple chutney It’s usually the weekend before Christmas that we make a batch of chutney.

Or if we’ve been able to steal a few days off before the big day arrives, we’ll do it then.

It’s one of the loveliest ways to spend a festive afternoon, in the warm, surrounded by delicious smells, creating something that you’ll enjoy throughout the year. One of our favourite Christmas-time chutneys is made using spiced apples and dates.

The dates are full of natural sugars, so there’s no need to use caster, which makes us love this recipe all the more.

W H AT TO DO MAKES 4 half-pint jars

W H AT YOU’LL NEED 5 Granny Smith apples peeled and diced 350ml apple cider vinegar 110g dates pitted and chopped 110g shallots minced 75g sultanas 40g crystalised ginger chopped 2 star anise 1 cinnamon stick 1 tsp red chilli flakes 1 tsp sea salt flakes ½ tsp cardamom

1 Find a medium-sized pan and fill with all of the ingredients to the left. Give them a good stir and place the pan on a high heat.

2 Bring the pan to the boil. Once bubbling, reduce to a medium-high heat.

3 Let it cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring every now and then so it doesn’t stick. You’ll know when to stop when the chutney doesn’t look so watery and the apples are soft enough that you can mush them. Then lower the heat and let the mixture thicken. This can take up to 10 minutes.

5 Spoon out the cinnamon stick and star anise pieces. Then have a little taste of the mixture to check you’re happy. If you’d like it spicier, add a little more chilli. If you’d like it sweeter, pop in another diced date.

6 Portion the mixture into your jars and dunk them into a tub filled with hot water for 15 minutes. The water should only come up to the jar lid, and not above it just in case any water gets into the jar.

7 Once the 15 minutes are up, carefully take the jars out and pop them onto a tea towel to dry.

When they’re cool enough to handle, you can store any sealed jars at room temperature, but any unsealed ones will need to go into the fridge and used within a few days. So try to use sealed if you can to make life easier.

It’s important to put the chutney into thoroughly clean jars. Wash them in hot soapy water, but do not dry them. Leave them to stand upside down on a roasting tray, and then pop them into a pre-heated oven at 160ºC for about 15 minutes.

Take them out just before ladling in the chutney – that way, everything is squeaky clean and ready to be sealed.

This is Fog. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 39-40

10/21/2016 8:17:03 PM

41

STORIES

WINTER 2016

The book club Some books resonate more with us at certain times of the year.

It might be because there’s a certain nostalgia attached to them, like the Great Classics that we always feel more encouraged to read during the winter months.

It might be because the tale is set at a time of snow, and pathetic fallacy makes us feel like we’re somehow more connected to the story we’re reading.

Or there may be simply no link, no rhyme, and no reason.

As always, compiling our winter reading list was no easy feat.

But we hope there’s something here for everyone.

42

W H AT W E’R E R E A DING Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami – this is the novel for which the Japanese author, Murakami, has become known. The tale spans the seasons but winter is what’s felt the most. It’s a beautifully poetic, yet poignant and sorrowful, story of love and loss set in 1960s Tokyo.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – this is one of the Great’s that we read every December.

Set in snowy Massachusetts at Christmas time, each page tells us of the trials and tribulations of the four March sisters as they enter into adulthood together. If you haven’t already read it, it’s a real must. If you’ve read it many times before, you’ll need little persuasion to do so once more.

The Ecco Book of Christmas Stories by Alberto Manguel et al – 23 miniature stories all told by an assortment of acclaimed authors. ‘The Turkey Season’ by Alice Munro; ‘The Leaf Sweeper’ by Muriel Spark; amongst tales by international storytellers whose work may never have been translated into English until now. Some you’ll adore, others you may skip, but it’s a lovely way to discover the ones you’ll want to come back to year after year.

A Meal in Winter by Hubert Mingarelli – a very dark novella for people who prefer a more gripping account of winter. The story takes place in the perishing cold of the Polish winter, where three German soldiers are deployed to round up Jewish prisoners. It explores moral reason and evil.

It’s the sort of read that will stay with you for a while once you’ve turned the final page.

Toot and Puddle: I’ll Be Home For Christmas

by Hollie Hobbie – we end on an adorable Christmas tale for children. Best piggy friends, Toot and Puddle, are desperate to be reunited for Christmas Day. The story follows the adventures of Toot, who’s battling his way through Scottish storms to get home to Puddle who is busy decorating the tree for his return. An easy, heart-warming read that’s impossible not to enjoy.

This is Shell. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 41-42

10/21/2016 8:17:05 PM

41

STORIES

WINTER 2016

The book club Some books resonate more with us at certain times of the year.

It might be because there’s a certain nostalgia attached to them, like the Great Classics that we always feel more encouraged to read during the winter months.

It might be because the tale is set at a time of snow, and pathetic fallacy makes us feel like we’re somehow more connected to the story we’re reading.

Or there may be simply no link, no rhyme, and no reason.

As always, compiling our winter reading list was no easy feat.

But we hope there’s something here for everyone.

42

W H AT W E’R E R E A DING Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami – this is the novel for which the Japanese author, Murakami, has become known. The tale spans the seasons but winter is what’s felt the most. It’s a beautifully poetic, yet poignant and sorrowful, story of love and loss set in 1960s Tokyo.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – this is one of the Great’s that we read every December.

Set in snowy Massachusetts at Christmas time, each page tells us of the trials and tribulations of the four March sisters as they enter into adulthood together. If you haven’t already read it, it’s a real must. If you’ve read it many times before, you’ll need little persuasion to do so once more.

The Ecco Book of Christmas Stories by Alberto Manguel et al – 23 miniature stories all told by an assortment of acclaimed authors. ‘The Turkey Season’ by Alice Munro; ‘The Leaf Sweeper’ by Muriel Spark; amongst tales by international storytellers whose work may never have been translated into English until now. Some you’ll adore, others you may skip, but it’s a lovely way to discover the ones you’ll want to come back to year after year.

A Meal in Winter by Hubert Mingarelli – a very dark novella for people who prefer a more gripping account of winter. The story takes place in the perishing cold of the Polish winter, where three German soldiers are deployed to round up Jewish prisoners. It explores moral reason and evil.

It’s the sort of read that will stay with you for a while once you’ve turned the final page.

Toot and Puddle: I’ll Be Home For Christmas

by Hollie Hobbie – we end on an adorable Christmas tale for children. Best piggy friends, Toot and Puddle, are desperate to be reunited for Christmas Day. The story follows the adventures of Toot, who’s battling his way through Scottish storms to get home to Puddle who is busy decorating the tree for his return. An easy, heart-warming read that’s impossible not to enjoy.

This is Shell. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 41-42

10/21/2016 8:17:05 PM

43

STORIES

WINTER 2016

44

Games from the past T O BE E N JOY E D ON C H R I S T M A S DAY,

Neptunes

NEW Y E A R’S EV E A ND BEYOND

THE SOU NDTR ACK TO THE SEASON

A Christmas playlist is essential. For the most festive of homes, it gets turned on in the weeks that run up to Christmas. It gets turned up on the days that we begin to decorate the house or when we’re baking Yuletide treats. It gets put on repeat on Christmas Day. And while it doesn’t feel quite like Christmas until we’ve heard Mariah and Wham!, our soundtrack is a little more selective. We’ve cherrypicked the slightly more composed ‘hits’ and we’ve intermingled them with nostalgic favourites, soft jazz and brass-band melodies so you can tune into something a little more grown-up, but nonetheless merry, as and when you please.

Let it snow Diana Krall and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence Ryichi Sakamoto Holly Jolly Christmas Michael Bublé Driving home for Christmas Chris Rea Run Rudolph run Chuck Berry The Christmas Song Nat King Cole Bach: The Christmas oratorio Alvaro Bianchi Fairtyale of New York The Pogues Amarantine Enya Sleigh Ride Ella Fitzgerald Stop the cavalry Jona Lewie Merry Christmas baby Etta James Real love Tom Odell Have yourself a merry little Christmas Gregory Porter and Renée Fleming Follow the playlist on Spotify by searching @Neptune_home.

Psst… if you’re having trouble finding us, try putting the following into the search bar: Spotify:user:Neptune_home. That seems to help!

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 43-44

Games are there to be enjoyed all year round. They provide us with a dose of escapism where we can connect with our inner child and just have a bit of fun. Looking to the past for game inspiration is the best place to start.

Somehow, the notion of tradition makes them even more enjoyable. While more modern-era inventions that involve screens, robotics and all sorts of weird and wonderful technology offer endless entertainment, we prefer to keep our games simple. Ones that are a little humble, that have been played throughout the generations, that remind us of Christmas when we were children, and ones that involve a few easy-to-find props or even none at all.

Before we begin, in the interest of team spirit, we have a brief pep talk. No matter who wins or who loses, just remember, the most marvellous thing about games is that whether you’re spectator or player, you’re going to laugh.

A lot. And you’ll all be brought closer together. Even more so than you already are.

Kim’s game Named after Rudyard Kipling’s novel, Kim, this traditional parlour game is more commonly referred to as ‘the memory game’. Fill a tray with lots of random objects and ask everyone who’s playing to memorise what they can see. Take the tray away and then ask everyone to recall what was on there. You can split people into teams to do this, or you can make the game last longer by removing one item at a time and challenging them to guess one missing item at a time.

Lie detector This is a fun game to play in-between main and pudding. Each player reveals three things about themselves; two true, one false. The aim is to define which is the lie. The rest of the table work together to ask questions to figure out the truth.

The most fun part is hearing everyone battle it out to reach a consensus.

Forehead detective Another guessing game that we all know and love.

Each person writes a film, book, famous person, famous place and so forth onto a piece of paper and then sticks onto their forehead so everyone else can see but them. You then take it in turns to ask questions about the who or the what on your head until you figure it out. The first person to guess correctly wins a prize, the loser receives a forfeit that the winner gets to decide.

Classic board games Snakes and Ladders, Cluedo, Operation, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Battleships, and Jenga (not quite a board game we know). We turn to our well-worn board games when the bigger-group games come to an end and we break away into little pockets of people who, after refuelling on early evening turkey and stuffing sandwiches, return for rounds two, three, and four with a patient parent, slightly sloshed uncle, and a very merry cousin or two.

10/21/2016 8:17:06 PM

43

STORIES

WINTER 2016

44

Games from the past T O BE E N JOY E D ON C H R I S T M A S DAY,

Neptunes

NEW Y E A R’S EV E A ND BEYOND

THE SOU NDTR ACK TO THE SEASON

A Christmas playlist is essential. For the most festive of homes, it gets turned on in the weeks that run up to Christmas. It gets turned up on the days that we begin to decorate the house or when we’re baking Yuletide treats. It gets put on repeat on Christmas Day. And while it doesn’t feel quite like Christmas until we’ve heard Mariah and Wham!, our soundtrack is a little more selective. We’ve cherrypicked the slightly more composed ‘hits’ and we’ve intermingled them with nostalgic favourites, soft jazz and brass-band melodies so you can tune into something a little more grown-up, but nonetheless merry, as and when you please.

Let it snow Diana Krall and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence Ryichi Sakamoto Holly Jolly Christmas Michael Bublé Driving home for Christmas Chris Rea Run Rudolph run Chuck Berry The Christmas Song Nat King Cole Bach: The Christmas oratorio Alvaro Bianchi Fairtyale of New York The Pogues Amarantine Enya Sleigh Ride Ella Fitzgerald Stop the cavalry Jona Lewie Merry Christmas baby Etta James Real love Tom Odell Have yourself a merry little Christmas Gregory Porter and Renée Fleming Follow the playlist on Spotify by searching @Neptune_home.

Psst… if you’re having trouble finding us, try putting the following into the search bar: Spotify:user:Neptune_home. That seems to help!

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 43-44

Games are there to be enjoyed all year round. They provide us with a dose of escapism where we can connect with our inner child and just have a bit of fun. Looking to the past for game inspiration is the best place to start.

Somehow, the notion of tradition makes them even more enjoyable. While more modern-era inventions that involve screens, robotics and all sorts of weird and wonderful technology offer endless entertainment, we prefer to keep our games simple. Ones that are a little humble, that have been played throughout the generations, that remind us of Christmas when we were children, and ones that involve a few easy-to-find props or even none at all.

Before we begin, in the interest of team spirit, we have a brief pep talk. No matter who wins or who loses, just remember, the most marvellous thing about games is that whether you’re spectator or player, you’re going to laugh.

A lot. And you’ll all be brought closer together. Even more so than you already are.

Kim’s game Named after Rudyard Kipling’s novel, Kim, this traditional parlour game is more commonly referred to as ‘the memory game’. Fill a tray with lots of random objects and ask everyone who’s playing to memorise what they can see. Take the tray away and then ask everyone to recall what was on there. You can split people into teams to do this, or you can make the game last longer by removing one item at a time and challenging them to guess one missing item at a time.

Lie detector This is a fun game to play in-between main and pudding. Each player reveals three things about themselves; two true, one false. The aim is to define which is the lie. The rest of the table work together to ask questions to figure out the truth.

The most fun part is hearing everyone battle it out to reach a consensus.

Forehead detective Another guessing game that we all know and love.

Each person writes a film, book, famous person, famous place and so forth onto a piece of paper and then sticks onto their forehead so everyone else can see but them. You then take it in turns to ask questions about the who or the what on your head until you figure it out. The first person to guess correctly wins a prize, the loser receives a forfeit that the winner gets to decide.

Classic board games Snakes and Ladders, Cluedo, Operation, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Battleships, and Jenga (not quite a board game we know). We turn to our well-worn board games when the bigger-group games come to an end and we break away into little pockets of people who, after refuelling on early evening turkey and stuffing sandwiches, return for rounds two, three, and four with a patient parent, slightly sloshed uncle, and a very merry cousin or two.

10/21/2016 8:17:06 PM

45

STORIES

WINTER 2016

46

Why every home deserves a larder Is there a more heart-warming sight for the Christmas cook than a neatly stacked larder, shelves piled high with exactly the right ingredients?

Our Victorian ancestors certainly knew what they were doing when they incorporated those cavernous cupboards into their hard-working kitchens.

They’re a cook’s best friend. And in the run-up to Christmas, this is the kind of friend you’ll need close at hand. Cool, organised, reliable.

And full of inspiring ideas.

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 45-46

10/21/2016 8:17:07 PM

45

STORIES

WINTER 2016

46

Why every home deserves a larder Is there a more heart-warming sight for the Christmas cook than a neatly stacked larder, shelves piled high with exactly the right ingredients?

Our Victorian ancestors certainly knew what they were doing when they incorporated those cavernous cupboards into their hard-working kitchens.

They’re a cook’s best friend. And in the run-up to Christmas, this is the kind of friend you’ll need close at hand. Cool, organised, reliable.

And full of inspiring ideas.

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 45-46

10/21/2016 8:17:07 PM

47

STORIES

THE L AR DER AND W HY W E LOV E IT SO Even in these days of super-sized double fridges, opening the door of a well-stocked larder still feels so much more evocative. Why does it have this effect on us? Maybe it’s because of the scents of spices and herbs, all ready and waiting to be used. Or the neat rows of dry foods, from pasta to different types of flour. Or the crafty arrangement of baking ingredients poured into tall glass jars so we can see exactly how much is left and what needs filling up and when.

Because, at this time of year more than any other, it feels natural to take stock of our supplies and replenish – and to add some seasonal treats along the way. This urge to create a storehouse has half an eye on the coming festive season. But it’s also an extension of the wintery urge to hunker down, to make sure you have enough set by to see you and your family through the cold months.

We might not have to forage and hunt for food any more, but the emotional response remains the same. It’s time to stockpile our harvest and share a mid-winter feast with loved ones.

A POTTED HISTORY A century before our Victorian ancestors built those deep-shelved pantries into their kitchens, the larder was the preserve of the gentry. The stately home’s steamy below-stairs kitchen had a ‘larderium’ for storing and preparing meat, plus separate areas for salting meat and storing dry goods. In fact, the term

originates from the practice of sinking joints of meat into a barrel of lard to store them through winter.

Thankfully that’s one tradition that we haven’t upheld. But for our parents and grandparents, most homes had some sort of food store, be it a modest cabinet or a grander walk-in area where all manner of epicurean treats and ingredients were kept away from the heat of the kitchen. By the Sixties, the modern wonder that was the refrigerator elbowed the old-fashioned larder to one side. But today we’re rediscovering the joys of larder storage, for both aesthetic and practical reasons.

THE FESTIVE STOR E As the festive season gets closer and closer, we’re reminded all over again quite how wonderful it is to turn to a well-stocked larder. You know the kind of occasion. When the neighbours pop by with a Christmas card and end up staying for supper.

When the children bring a whole gang of friends home and they all want to make individual pizzas.

Or you get in after late-night shopping and need to whiz up a quick pasta sauce for everyone.

To give your larder a fresh start for Christmas, set aside a quiet hour or so to get your shelves in order.

Clear the decks by throwing out any ingredients that are out of date. Give all your jars of spices and dried herbs a good wipe with a clean cloth to remove any sticky residue. As for canned food, take the opportunity to get rid of any that have been languishing a while (but are still safely within their use-by date). They take up valuable storage space, so donate them to your local food bank charity.

PAGE 48 Limehouse 690 full height larder £2,430

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 47-48

10/21/2016 8:17:27 PM

47

STORIES

THE L AR DER AND W HY W E LOV E IT SO Even in these days of super-sized double fridges, opening the door of a well-stocked larder still feels so much more evocative. Why does it have this effect on us? Maybe it’s because of the scents of spices and herbs, all ready and waiting to be used. Or the neat rows of dry foods, from pasta to different types of flour. Or the crafty arrangement of baking ingredients poured into tall glass jars so we can see exactly how much is left and what needs filling up and when.

Because, at this time of year more than any other, it feels natural to take stock of our supplies and replenish – and to add some seasonal treats along the way. This urge to create a storehouse has half an eye on the coming festive season. But it’s also an extension of the wintery urge to hunker down, to make sure you have enough set by to see you and your family through the cold months.

We might not have to forage and hunt for food any more, but the emotional response remains the same. It’s time to stockpile our harvest and share a mid-winter feast with loved ones.

A POTTED HISTORY A century before our Victorian ancestors built those deep-shelved pantries into their kitchens, the larder was the preserve of the gentry. The stately home’s steamy below-stairs kitchen had a ‘larderium’ for storing and preparing meat, plus separate areas for salting meat and storing dry goods. In fact, the term

originates from the practice of sinking joints of meat into a barrel of lard to store them through winter.

Thankfully that’s one tradition that we haven’t upheld. But for our parents and grandparents, most homes had some sort of food store, be it a modest cabinet or a grander walk-in area where all manner of epicurean treats and ingredients were kept away from the heat of the kitchen. By the Sixties, the modern wonder that was the refrigerator elbowed the old-fashioned larder to one side. But today we’re rediscovering the joys of larder storage, for both aesthetic and practical reasons.

THE FESTIVE STOR E As the festive season gets closer and closer, we’re reminded all over again quite how wonderful it is to turn to a well-stocked larder. You know the kind of occasion. When the neighbours pop by with a Christmas card and end up staying for supper.

When the children bring a whole gang of friends home and they all want to make individual pizzas.

Or you get in after late-night shopping and need to whiz up a quick pasta sauce for everyone.

To give your larder a fresh start for Christmas, set aside a quiet hour or so to get your shelves in order.

Clear the decks by throwing out any ingredients that are out of date. Give all your jars of spices and dried herbs a good wipe with a clean cloth to remove any sticky residue. As for canned food, take the opportunity to get rid of any that have been languishing a while (but are still safely within their use-by date). They take up valuable storage space, so donate them to your local food bank charity.

PAGE 48 Limehouse 690 full height larder £2,430

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 47-48

10/21/2016 8:17:27 PM

49

STORIES

WINTER 2016

Now you’re ready to start preparing a Christmas larder. Undoubtedly, you’ll already have your own favourites and essentials, but these suggestions are both failsafe and fun:

YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING LIST Delicious crackers – Include a wide variety, from seeded and spelt to plain water biscuits. Just add cheeses, grapes and a dollop of fine chutney for an instant mini meal.

Chutneys, pickles and preserves – Choose jars that come with a flavour of Christmas, e.g. cranberries, fig and beetroot preserves. Not only are they a perfect partner for cheeses, but they will also go brilliantly with cold cuts on Boxing Day and beyond. (Psst… or turn to page 39 for our homemade chutney recipe).

Stuffing standbys – Ingredients such as dried apricots or chestnuts will last, so stock up before the Christmas countdown to ease stress come mid-December.

Mince pie ingredients – Home-made pastry always tastes better, but most of us buy jars of mincemeat for the filling. Treat yourself to a quality variety – or add your own chopped nuts, dried fruit,

50

citrus peel or a dash of brandy to pep up a shopbought variety.

Seasonal spices – The Christmas kitchen is a place that produces some of the most gorgeous and enticing cooking aromas. Stock up on classics such as cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger and nutmeg (for biscuits, custards and puddings) and bay leaves, rosemary and thyme (for joints and roast potatoes). Cloves and All Spice are delicious in mulled wine and cloves alone are also a must for ham. Traditionalists swear by goose fat for cooking roast potatoes.

Sweet delights – Almond-studded biscuits, glazed lebkuchen, artisan chocolates, marzipan-centred stollen cake – this truly is the season of baking. But you can also stock up on some delicious boxes and packets for those times when you don’t have time to bake but need something to offer your guests.

Or, even more importantly, to treat yourself at the end of a long day of shopping, preparing and wrapping presents.

It’s no wonder that the old-fashioned larder has stood the test of time. If you start to clear the shelves and restock, your larder will see you through the hurly burly of the festive season in a thoroughly organised and dependable fashion. Like the very best kitchen companion.

Each of Neptune’s four kitchen collections has its own flagship larder.

View them online or appreciate them fully in any of our beautiful stores.

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 49-50

10/21/2016 8:18:14 PM

49

STORIES

WINTER 2016

Now you’re ready to start preparing a Christmas larder. Undoubtedly, you’ll already have your own favourites and essentials, but these suggestions are both failsafe and fun:

YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING LIST Delicious crackers – Include a wide variety, from seeded and spelt to plain water biscuits. Just add cheeses, grapes and a dollop of fine chutney for an instant mini meal.

Chutneys, pickles and preserves – Choose jars that come with a flavour of Christmas, e.g. cranberries, fig and beetroot preserves. Not only are they a perfect partner for cheeses, but they will also go brilliantly with cold cuts on Boxing Day and beyond. (Psst… or turn to page 39 for our homemade chutney recipe).

Stuffing standbys – Ingredients such as dried apricots or chestnuts will last, so stock up before the Christmas countdown to ease stress come mid-December.

Mince pie ingredients – Home-made pastry always tastes better, but most of us buy jars of mincemeat for the filling. Treat yourself to a quality variety – or add your own chopped nuts, dried fruit,

50

citrus peel or a dash of brandy to pep up a shopbought variety.

Seasonal spices – The Christmas kitchen is a place that produces some of the most gorgeous and enticing cooking aromas. Stock up on classics such as cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger and nutmeg (for biscuits, custards and puddings) and bay leaves, rosemary and thyme (for joints and roast potatoes). Cloves and All Spice are delicious in mulled wine and cloves alone are also a must for ham. Traditionalists swear by goose fat for cooking roast potatoes.

Sweet delights – Almond-studded biscuits, glazed lebkuchen, artisan chocolates, marzipan-centred stollen cake – this truly is the season of baking. But you can also stock up on some delicious boxes and packets for those times when you don’t have time to bake but need something to offer your guests.

Or, even more importantly, to treat yourself at the end of a long day of shopping, preparing and wrapping presents.

It’s no wonder that the old-fashioned larder has stood the test of time. If you start to clear the shelves and restock, your larder will see you through the hurly burly of the festive season in a thoroughly organised and dependable fashion. Like the very best kitchen companion.

Each of Neptune’s four kitchen collections has its own flagship larder.

View them online or appreciate them fully in any of our beautiful stores.

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T H E H O M E T H E Y ’ L L WA N T TO COME BACK TO The guide to guest bedrooms

Christmas is the time of year where we all seek to play the perfect host. We want to welcome family and friends into our homes in the warmest of ways, to make them feel comfy, cosy and at absolute ease in their surroundings. And, if we’re completely honest with ourselves, don’t we all want to hear impressed and appreciative murmurings about what a beautiful home we have? Even better when we’re told that they don’t want to leave the following morning.

While our minds are first and foremost preoccupied with preparing the living room and the kitchen in particular, and within that we

include the big day feast, the guest bedroom is a place not to be overlooked. Far from it. This is the room that they may well spend the most time in, sleeping soundly and hopefully enjoying a generous lie in. And this is the room where you really get to rival the experience you’ve enjoyed at some of your favourite boutique hotels. At Christmas, more than any other time, we want our homes to feel like a hotel, and our favourite hotels to feel like a home. From the furniture to the thoughtful touches for which you’ll be remembered, this is how to take yours from bedroom to haven.

Start with the big stuff A beautifully crafted bed will stand the test of time so is a worthy investment. The same goes for the mattress, where you can indulge your guests in cloud-like comfort. Or, look into a luxury mattress topper as an interim solution. Just like with your bedroom, a wardrobe, chest of drawers, and a pair of bedsides will make your guests feel like they’re very much at home. And don’t forget, you can use all of this storage all-year round for your own needs, just keep a few drawers spare for guests. Then, as time ticks by, gradually add pieces to your guest bedroom so it’s slowly built into a bedroom that could contend with your own.

PAGE 51 Francis king bed base £880 and George king headboard upholstered in Angus Flint £480 Aldwych side table in Snow £175 Fairfax lamp with Lucile shade £120 Ferne wreath - large £51 Cotswold check throw in Aqua £115

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10/21/2016 8:18:18 PM

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T H E H O M E T H E Y ’ L L WA N T TO COME BACK TO The guide to guest bedrooms

Christmas is the time of year where we all seek to play the perfect host. We want to welcome family and friends into our homes in the warmest of ways, to make them feel comfy, cosy and at absolute ease in their surroundings. And, if we’re completely honest with ourselves, don’t we all want to hear impressed and appreciative murmurings about what a beautiful home we have? Even better when we’re told that they don’t want to leave the following morning.

While our minds are first and foremost preoccupied with preparing the living room and the kitchen in particular, and within that we

include the big day feast, the guest bedroom is a place not to be overlooked. Far from it. This is the room that they may well spend the most time in, sleeping soundly and hopefully enjoying a generous lie in. And this is the room where you really get to rival the experience you’ve enjoyed at some of your favourite boutique hotels. At Christmas, more than any other time, we want our homes to feel like a hotel, and our favourite hotels to feel like a home. From the furniture to the thoughtful touches for which you’ll be remembered, this is how to take yours from bedroom to haven.

Start with the big stuff A beautifully crafted bed will stand the test of time so is a worthy investment. The same goes for the mattress, where you can indulge your guests in cloud-like comfort. Or, look into a luxury mattress topper as an interim solution. Just like with your bedroom, a wardrobe, chest of drawers, and a pair of bedsides will make your guests feel like they’re very much at home. And don’t forget, you can use all of this storage all-year round for your own needs, just keep a few drawers spare for guests. Then, as time ticks by, gradually add pieces to your guest bedroom so it’s slowly built into a bedroom that could contend with your own.

PAGE 51 Francis king bed base £880 and George king headboard upholstered in Angus Flint £480 Aldwych side table in Snow £175 Fairfax lamp with Lucile shade £120 Ferne wreath - large £51 Cotswold check throw in Aqua £115

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The perfect bedspread It starts with pillows and duvet. We love feather and down because it’s a sumptuously squishy combination that has a lofty look to it when it’s laid out. When it comes to the linen, it has to be a high thread count Egyptian cotton. Nothing feels lovelier against the skin.

Take a look at our online article ‘How to: make the perfect bedspread’ for style advice on laying pillows and cushions and layering blankets at the foot of the bed.

And the perfect bedside On each bedside table place a little basket or trinket tray filled with considerate bits and bobs like an aromatherapy pillow spray (we love anything from This Works’ sleep collection) or a pretty pouch of lavender, a spare phone charger, cotton pads, and a carefully selected magazine to go underneath the basket so they know it’s been chosen just for them.

Let them lounge Surprise (and delight) your guests by purchasing two fluff y towelling robes and hanging them on the back of the door. First and foremost they’ll think of a spa, which is no bad connotation to have encouraged. And by choosing a towelling robe, they have the option of using that in the shower room so there’s no awkward sprint from bathroom to bedroom or the annoyance of carting all your clothes into the steamiest spot in the house. Go one step further by putting matching towelling slippers at the foot of the bed too.

Stay hydrated It’s not uncommon to be struck with middle-of-thenight thirst. This is especially so at Christmas time when many of us awake the next morning somewhat ‘parched’. So fill a carafe or elegant jug with fresh water and a few tumblers on the nightstand. If you’re feeling extra fancy, include a saucer with a few slices of cucumber, lemon and lime and a clear tumbler on top to keep them fresh so your guests can choose if they want their water plain and simple, or delicately flavoured.

And just before bedtime In case some guests decide to go to sleep a little earlier than others, at around 9pm, nip upstairs and turn on the bedside lamps and any bedroom candles. It’s a simple thing to do, but makes the room feel so much more inviting, and is guaranteed to make your guests smile from the moment their tiptoes go, over the threshold.

Finish by giving yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.

Aldwych tall side table £375 Fairfax medium lamp with Lucile shade £120 Ferne Frosted wreath £19/£51 Ashcroft small box tray £25 Madeleine chair in Hugo Mustard £410 Sefton throw £170

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Evergreen trees and foliage lend a dose of life-affirming colour to a snow-dusted hillside. No wonder the ability of evergreen trees to remain luminous through the long winter has stirred the minds of storytellers and nature lovers over the centuries.

Hosts of fairy-tales are rooted in Germany’s wooded heartland. A wealth of Native American legends pay homage to the power of the pine.

And there are Celtic myths that grew out of the Scottish glades and densely covered hillsides.

The magic of an evergreen’s year-round colour is all down to its leaves.

They’re designed to withstand the cold and retain moisture better than other types. Some, such as pine and fir trees, have long, thin needles instead of a wider, flatter leaf. Others, such as holly, have tough leaves with a waxy sheen. This means that, as long as they get enough water, evergreens still grow and release oxygen, but at a slower pace than more ‘fair-weather’ trees.

Top of the evergreens has to be the pine tree. And there’s no better way to appreciate the majesty of the pine than by exploring the depths of a forest. Ancient woodland has a unique atmosphere, but even the more recent man-made plantations can emulate this enigmatic environment.

In the midst of a dark pine forest, sound travels differently. The outside world seems muffled and distant. In fact, it’s easy to lose your bearings.

No wonder myths and stories about the lure of the forest have sprung up the world over.

Then there are those mysterious clusters of tall pines that you sometimes spot atop a hillock, seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

They were planted along the old byways to help sheep and cattle drovers orientate themselves and their herd. Sometimes they were route markets saying, ‘Yes, you’re on the right track’. Often they were a sign of comfort: to mark an inn, a field where they could shelter or a safe place to ford a river.

As for the recent, rather regimented plantations that exist throughout the UK, most are a legacy of planting by the Forestry Commission between the wars. The well-intentioned aim was to create a reserve of timber, planting Douglas fir, Corsican pine, Sitka spruce and larch. This is what created the forests of Thetford and Holkham in Norfolk and even tracts of Scotland.

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However, as the decades passed, it was found that these dense forests were so dark that little else could thrive at lower levels. Today, many are being thinned out and replanted, so that wildlife, birds and other plants can return.

A more authentic ancient pineland is Loch Arkaig in Scotland, where the native Scots pine grows alongside birch, juniper, willow and rowan. Smaller plants and mosses with ancient, magical names – bilberry, twinflower, ladies’ tresses and wintergreens – also wind around the woodland floor.

To admire pine trees in a more cultivated environment, head to Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent. Some of its oldest trees have grown from seeds brought back by Victorian explorers, while others arrived from Kew Gardens in the 1920s, as they were failing in the polluted London air. Today, Bedgebury’s forest trails are an expanse of greens, browns, yellows and deep reds.

Because, as any gardener knows, the evergreen is rarely one single shade.

Nature presents needles, leaves and berries in a wide spectrum of colours, from acidic yellow to a lavender blue, rich berry red to sap green.

In our own back gardens, the variety of evergreen bushes and hedges that can flourish through winter includes silvery-grey eucalyptus, the bay tree, laurel, yew and box. In larger spaces, there’s the opportunity to nurture natives such as Scots pine or juniper. Then there’s the holly bush, which brings the joy of harvesting armfuls of prickly, berry-rich sprigs, come Christmas.

We have Prince Albert to thank for introducing Britain to the pleasures of an indoor Christmas tree. He recreated the German tradition at Windsor Palace in 1848. After that, every self-respecting Victorian followed his example, draping their trees with baubles and sugary treats.

These days, buying a potted tree that can live on in your garden is the greenest option. Mini potted pines are a lovely addition to your garden table, providing it with some winter warmth and inviting it into your Christmas scheme. Failing that, buy a tree that’s grown locally, rather than imported. Just before Twelfth Night, your tree can be recycled, with the chippings used in local parks. We believe in cutting with regret, but using with integrity. Or go for a replica that will last year after year and has been made slowly and carefully to match the ‘real thing’ as best as it can.

Evergreens are not just for Christmas. But, in our homes and in the natural world, they retain a certain allure. Like its hardy leaves, the spirit of the evergreen endures.

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In its purest form – natural sunlight – it even has medicinal properties; so much so that when our bodies are deprived of it, our health suffers and our mood darkens accordingly.

W I N T ER’S LIGHT

W E THINK OF LIGHT FIRST A ND FOR E MOS T A S A N E ED. IT GUIDES AND IT ENABLES. W I T H O U T I T, W E F E E L L O S T.

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But during the deepest and darkest months of the year, our relationship with light alters. It becomes more complex.

It almost becomes a paradox.

At Neptune, we see winter’s shadows as a reason for optimism. One of the great joys of living in our part of the world is our four seasons; a summer’s day shines even brighter when winter provides it with a stark contrast. The constant change keeps us on our toes. We may not realise it, but we crave that change. We need sour to appreciate sweet. We need dark to love light – it’s nature’s way of showing us the same thing but from a different perspective.

Winter’s light brings with it cosiness. We experience that comfy, cuddly feeling in spring, and even at times in summer, but to enjoy true cosiness you need it to be cold and ideally you need at least one of the following as well: murky skies, window-battering rain, darkness setting in at around 4pm. These ingredients are what make us yearn to curl up, light a fire, indulgently watch a film in the afternoon, put our pyjamas on way before bedtime, and sip home-made hot chocolate from an oversized mug. Many of us wouldn’t even entertain the thought of doing this when the sun is beating down. Wintertime activities are cosseting, and they simply don’t work as well without winter’s light surrounding us.

10/21/2016 8:20:02 PM

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56

In its purest form – natural sunlight – it even has medicinal properties; so much so that when our bodies are deprived of it, our health suffers and our mood darkens accordingly.

W I N T ER’S LIGHT

W E THINK OF LIGHT FIRST A ND FOR E MOS T A S A N E ED. IT GUIDES AND IT ENABLES. W I T H O U T I T, W E F E E L L O S T.

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 55-56

But during the deepest and darkest months of the year, our relationship with light alters. It becomes more complex.

It almost becomes a paradox.

At Neptune, we see winter’s shadows as a reason for optimism. One of the great joys of living in our part of the world is our four seasons; a summer’s day shines even brighter when winter provides it with a stark contrast. The constant change keeps us on our toes. We may not realise it, but we crave that change. We need sour to appreciate sweet. We need dark to love light – it’s nature’s way of showing us the same thing but from a different perspective.

Winter’s light brings with it cosiness. We experience that comfy, cuddly feeling in spring, and even at times in summer, but to enjoy true cosiness you need it to be cold and ideally you need at least one of the following as well: murky skies, window-battering rain, darkness setting in at around 4pm. These ingredients are what make us yearn to curl up, light a fire, indulgently watch a film in the afternoon, put our pyjamas on way before bedtime, and sip home-made hot chocolate from an oversized mug. Many of us wouldn’t even entertain the thought of doing this when the sun is beating down. Wintertime activities are cosseting, and they simply don’t work as well without winter’s light surrounding us.

10/21/2016 8:20:02 PM

57

STORIES

While we cannot control in any way the sun’s behaviour, we do have the power to manipulate the lighting that goes on behind closed doors. The two have to work together though. They have to have an understanding of each other as the way in which we light our homes in these graduallydarkening months changes day by day. Natural and artificial light should have a mutual respect, they need to be in perfect harmony and they should support one another so your home feels balanced. To understand what is meant by this, think of it on a smaller scale first. A living room’s window for example. If the sky is grey and the clouds impenetrable, you can give the impression of more brightness by opening curtains fully and illuminating wall lights either side ever so subtly, almost as though they’re encouraging the natural light to shine that little bit brighter, but not forcing it. The natural light is still the protagonist. The wall lights the understudy.

Now think on a bigger scale. Many of our homes, traditional and modern, are configured in an open-plan layout. Kitchens, living rooms and dining spaces are often rolled into one.

These larger spaces ask a lot from lighting, and that request is particularly felt once the clocks go back and darkness descends. They need illuminating, but in a way that doesn’t saturate.

Big, family rooms have to fulfil a whole range of functions throughout the day. Lighting them is quite a task and even more so during winter months. You need to create different lighting scenes, at different times, so your home performs as it needs to, but in a way that’s still tranquil.

Lighting control can be a fabulous tool to help you achieve this easily. It can be as simple or as

WINTER 2016

complicated as you like, from full systems to one-room setups.

The atmosphere that good lighting can create takes away all the possible gloominess that can sometimes creep in from late October to February.

There are so many different combinations and layering aspects to consider with lighting.

Background light such as uplighting the back of kitchen cabinets makes a space feel lighter and brighter without overpowering. Wall lights are a mid-layer that can be used to highlight key pieces of artwork or features in your home that you love, but try to conceal the bulb from view. Cosy lighting is, for us, all the lamps. Floor, side table, desk lamps and so forth. They’re atmospheric.

And a floor lamp creates such a soft pool of light that’s perfect at night when you’re padding around. It reminds us of the moon’s glow.

The clear sign that we’re looking out onto winter’s light as opposed to autumn’s rosier glow, is when the light fades from view in the afternoon.

It starts to yawn at about three in the afternoon and by four pm it’s closing its eyes. It’s refreshing to view this as the most exciting part of winter’s light’s daily performance. Pull curtains partially to start setting the scene. It allows the final shafts of brightness through and means you pictureframe the cold skies which will only add to the warmth felt inside. Now it’s the turn of the lamps. They begin a little brighter, but as daylight runs out, the dimmer switches should be turned down, not up.

What makes winter’s light so enchanting is the quietness of the lighting, the puddles that form, and the ambiance that imbues your home’s every inch. It makes us feel cradled, and safe in a way that no other season can.

Light in winter challenges us. It wants to prove us wrong. We assume that more natural light is what makes us happiest. We think that darkness falling in the afternoon is a reason to will summer to come back quickly. Both of these things may be true, but at the same time, they’re not at all. We discover that we use most of our artificial lighting

58

when the sun is still awake, and when darkness prevails, we use as little as we can. We almost bask in the inkiness. We’re echoing the story of light that’s playing out in the great outdoors. We can create happiness by lighting our homes in a way that reflects nature’s dappled shades, shades that evolve as the seasons do.

Tip For those interested in the art of lighting your home, learn from leaders such as Sally Storey and her team at John Cullen lighting on the King’s Road in London.

Chichester kitchen from £10,000 Hughes double pendant £166 PAGES 59-60 Hughes double pendant £166 Montague Lloyd Loom chair £205 Blyton candles £4-£14 Greenwich red wine glasses (set of 6) £42

WINTER16_Stories_Inner_250x198mm_UK_AWK.indd 57-58

10/21/2016 8:20:05 PM

57

STORIES

While we cannot control in any way the sun’s behaviour, we do have the power to manipulate the lighting that goes on behind closed doors. The two have to work together though. They have to have an understanding of each other as the way in which we light our homes in these graduallydarkening months changes day by day. Natural and artificial light should have a mutual respect, they need to be in perfect harmony and they should support one another so your home feels balanced. To understand what is meant by this, think of it on a smaller scale first. A living room’s window for example. If the sky is grey and the clouds impenetrable, you can give the impression of more brightness by opening curtains fully and illuminating wall lights either side ever so subtly, almost as though they’re encouraging the natural light to shine that little bit brighter, but not forcing it. The natural light is still the protagonist. The wall lights the understudy.

Now think on a bigger scale. Many of our homes, traditional and modern, are configured in an open-plan layout. Kitchens, living rooms and dining spaces are often rolled into one.

These larger spaces ask a lot from lighting, and that request is particularly felt once the clocks go back and darkness descends. They need illuminating, but in a way that doesn’t saturate.

Big, family rooms have to fulfil a whole range of functions throughout the day. Lighting them is quite a task and even more so during winter months. You need to create different lighting scenes, at different times, so your home performs as it needs to, but in a way that’s still tranquil.

Lighting control can be a fabulous tool to help you achieve this easily. It can be as simple or as

WINTER 2016

complicated as you like, from full systems to one-room setups.

The atmosphere that good lighting can create takes away all the possible gloominess that can sometimes creep in from late October to February.

There are so many different combinations and layering aspects to consider with lighting.

Background light such as uplighting the back of kitchen cabinets makes a space feel lighter and brighter without overpowering. Wall lights are a mid-layer that can be used to highlight key pieces of artwork or features in your home that you love, but try to conceal the bulb from view. Cosy lighting is, for us, all the lamps. Floor, side table, desk lamps and so forth. They’re atmospheric.

And a floor lamp creates such a soft pool of light that’s perfect at night when you’re padding around. It reminds us of the moon’s glow.

The clear sign that we’re looking out onto winter’s light as opposed to autumn’s rosier glow, is when the light fades from view in the afternoon.

It starts to yawn at about three in the afternoon and by four pm it’s closing its eyes. It’s refreshing to view this as the most exciting part of winter’s light’s daily performance. Pull curtains partially to start setting the scene. It allows the final shafts of brightness through and means you pictureframe the cold skies which will only add to the warmth felt inside. Now it’s the turn of the lamps. They begin a little brighter, but as daylight runs out, the dimmer switches should be turned down, not up.

What makes winter’s light so enchanting is the quietness of the lighting, the puddles that form, and the ambiance that imbues your home’s every inch. It makes us feel cradled, and safe in a way that no other season can.

Light in winter challenges us. It wants to prove us wrong. We assume that more natural light is what makes us happiest. We think that darkness falling in the afternoon is a reason to will summer to come back quickly. Both of these things may be true, but at the same time, they’re not at all. We discover that we use most of our artificial lighting

58

when the sun is still awake, and when darkness prevails, we use as little as we can. We almost bask in the inkiness. We’re echoing the story of light that’s playing out in the great outdoors. We can create happiness by lighting our homes in a way that reflects nature’s dappled shades, shades that evolve as the seasons do.

Tip For those interested in the art of lighting your home, learn from leaders such as Sally Storey and her team at John Cullen lighting on the King’s Road in London.

Chichester kitchen from £10,000 Hughes double pendant £166 PAGES 59-60 Hughes double pendant £166 Montague Lloyd Loom chair £205 Blyton candles £4-£14 Greenwich red wine glasses (set of 6) £42

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STORIES

Talking to Dan FUR NITUR E DESIGNER

Neptune is known for many things. Strong values is one of them. The highest quality materials is another. But it’s our designs that set us apart the most. So, for our winter edition of Stories, we decided we’d shed some light on our senior designer, Dan. The man that brings moodboards, cuttings and concepts into real-life pieces that last a lifetime.

DA N. IN BR IEF Dan. Is a gentle giant. When asked how tall he actually is, he replied 5”18, and then 1.981 million microns. That gives us an idea into not just his stature but his very dry sense of humour. And his eye for detail. He’s quietly spoken. He has kind eyes. He’s 34 years old. (And his actual height is 6”6.)

On family. Any responses to questions about his life always started with ‘we’. “We this” and “we that”.

He was referring to his long-term girlfriend, Jayne.

On the perfect weekend. A beach somewhere in Cyprus. Jet skiing, a few beers, good food, a live band and a spot of motorcycling somewhere too.

PAGE 62 Limehouse kitchen from £12,000 Wardley 6 seater dining table £1,000 Wardley oak dining chair £285 Wardley painted dining chair £255

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STORIES

Talking to Dan FUR NITUR E DESIGNER

Neptune is known for many things. Strong values is one of them. The highest quality materials is another. But it’s our designs that set us apart the most. So, for our winter edition of Stories, we decided we’d shed some light on our senior designer, Dan. The man that brings moodboards, cuttings and concepts into real-life pieces that last a lifetime.

DA N. IN BR IEF Dan. Is a gentle giant. When asked how tall he actually is, he replied 5”18, and then 1.981 million microns. That gives us an idea into not just his stature but his very dry sense of humour. And his eye for detail. He’s quietly spoken. He has kind eyes. He’s 34 years old. (And his actual height is 6”6.)

On family. Any responses to questions about his life always started with ‘we’. “We this” and “we that”.

He was referring to his long-term girlfriend, Jayne.

On the perfect weekend. A beach somewhere in Cyprus. Jet skiing, a few beers, good food, a live band and a spot of motorcycling somewhere too.

PAGE 62 Limehouse kitchen from £12,000 Wardley 6 seater dining table £1,000 Wardley oak dining chair £285 Wardley painted dining chair £255

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T HE I N T ERV IEW A potted history.

Dan joined Neptune many years ago. At the time we hadn’t even started doing kitchens. It was back in our garden days when interior furniture was a relatively new area for us. We go way back.

Let’s rewind.

Life before Neptune involved a three-year apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery at Mark Wilkinson (the sister company to Smallbone of Devizes). Dan moved around the various departments from the saw mill to his favourite area, curved cabinetry. He stayed on after his apprenticeship and began to learn CAD. Then Neptune happened.

The early days.

“One of my first projects at Neptune was to help design our debut kitchen, Chichester. The brief was quite broad. A few freestanding pieces of Chichester furniture had already been developed before I joined so I had that as a start point in terms of aesthetic, but otherwise I had free reign.

I prefer it that way.”

He talked us through how the design process works.

“It’s really John (our founder), Emma (his wife and our creative director) and Rebecca (our head of product design & development) who formulate the concepts. Sometimes they have a really clear idea of what they’d like, other times they’ll have found a gap in our offering and will ask me to come up with various ideas. I’ll help to develop it with them from scratch, but it’s always a team effort. I don’t mind which way it goes so long as I know that we’re creating something unique.”

Pause.

“I was on my own for quite a while but then Joe came along. He joined us as a graduate designer and now we’re looking at splitting the work so that I focus on cabinetry, kitchens, brassware and any fitted furniture. Joe will then take on the rest and I’ll oversee it.” They sit side by side on raised design desks. “The best thing about Dan is how much he’s taught me. He took me under his wing from day one. He’s patient and placid. He makes things easy.” A direct quote from Joe on Dan. And then through his favourite aspects of his role.

“I love using CAD. It’s such a fantastic piece of software. One of us will always start with a sketch.

Whether it’s me, Joe, John, Emma or Rebecca, there’s always a drawing. Sometimes I sketch but this lets me draw something in 3D just as quickly and in so much more detail than I could by hand.

It makes the design feel real.”

This is Salt. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

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He also shared with us the pieces he’s designed over the years that he enjoyed the most.

“The Limehouse kitchen. John had an idea of what he wanted and asked me to create the initial concepts. I came up with lots of sketches and renders and then we all developed it together. I really enjoyed creating our bathroom tap too. You have to use a technique called ‘surface modelling’ to produce all of its contours. I find that sort of thing interesting.”

Next we touched on his time in China.

“We (the ‘we’ that means him and Jayne) only ever intended on staying in China for a year.

Two and a half years later we decided to call it a day. We missed home and the heat was a little too much for us.

In the early days of my role at Neptune, I was too-ing and fro-ing from the UK to our production houses in China quite a lot. I don’t enjoy flying so thought why not live there? The idea was for me to help to teach the team about how we do cabinetry. Our carpenters were highly skilled but their understanding of furniture was very different to ours on the whole and so we wanted to be sure that they understood exactly what we were trying to achieve. I actually made our first-ever curved cabinet for the Chichester kitchen in our China workshop.”

We asked if he designs much outside of Neptune.

“I design guitars. Electric ones. I’ve been playing since I was 14 and thought I’d try to make them myself.” He’s never been taught. His approach has been more ‘look and learn’ in that he would look at a guitar and deconstruct the steps that would go into its making. “I’ve used YouTube to help with the technical elements of guitar design. I’ve made about four; one was a gift for a friend.”

Joe Satriani is his favourite artist.

There was more.

“We’ve just built a house. Well. A bungalow, in Devizes. Not the bricks and mortar but anything to do with wood like the stud partitions, door linings and fitted wardrobes. And of course I’ve filled it with Neptune cabinetry. Jayne does the painting, I’m rubbish at that.”

They started about a year ago and are almost finished. He hopes they can move in by new year.

Our final question was whether he thinks he’ ll always be a designer.

We said if your answer is no, then we’ll keep our lips sealed and pretend we didn’t ask. It didn’t go that way though. “Definitely. All I want to do is design. It’s who I am I guess.”

NEPTUNE.COM

10/21/2016 8:20:33 PM

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T HE I N T ERV IEW A potted history.

Dan joined Neptune many years ago. At the time we hadn’t even started doing kitchens. It was back in our garden days when interior furniture was a relatively new area for us. We go way back.

Let’s rewind.

Life before Neptune involved a three-year apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery at Mark Wilkinson (the sister company to Smallbone of Devizes). Dan moved around the various departments from the saw mill to his favourite area, curved cabinetry. He stayed on after his apprenticeship and began to learn CAD. Then Neptune happened.

The early days.

“One of my first projects at Neptune was to help design our debut kitchen, Chichester. The brief was quite broad. A few freestanding pieces of Chichester furniture had already been developed before I joined so I had that as a start point in terms of aesthetic, but otherwise I had free reign.

I prefer it that way.”

He talked us through how the design process works.

“It’s really John (our founder), Emma (his wife and our creative director) and Rebecca (our head of product design & development) who formulate the concepts. Sometimes they have a really clear idea of what they’d like, other times they’ll have found a gap in our offering and will ask me to come up with various ideas. I’ll help to develop it with them from scratch, but it’s always a team effort. I don’t mind which way it goes so long as I know that we’re creating something unique.”

Pause.

“I was on my own for quite a while but then Joe came along. He joined us as a graduate designer and now we’re looking at splitting the work so that I focus on cabinetry, kitchens, brassware and any fitted furniture. Joe will then take on the rest and I’ll oversee it.” They sit side by side on raised design desks. “The best thing about Dan is how much he’s taught me. He took me under his wing from day one. He’s patient and placid. He makes things easy.” A direct quote from Joe on Dan. And then through his favourite aspects of his role.

“I love using CAD. It’s such a fantastic piece of software. One of us will always start with a sketch.

Whether it’s me, Joe, John, Emma or Rebecca, there’s always a drawing. Sometimes I sketch but this lets me draw something in 3D just as quickly and in so much more detail than I could by hand.

It makes the design feel real.”

This is Salt. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

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He also shared with us the pieces he’s designed over the years that he enjoyed the most.

“The Limehouse kitchen. John had an idea of what he wanted and asked me to create the initial concepts. I came up with lots of sketches and renders and then we all developed it together. I really enjoyed creating our bathroom tap too. You have to use a technique called ‘surface modelling’ to produce all of its contours. I find that sort of thing interesting.”

Next we touched on his time in China.

“We (the ‘we’ that means him and Jayne) only ever intended on staying in China for a year.

Two and a half years later we decided to call it a day. We missed home and the heat was a little too much for us.

In the early days of my role at Neptune, I was too-ing and fro-ing from the UK to our production houses in China quite a lot. I don’t enjoy flying so thought why not live there? The idea was for me to help to teach the team about how we do cabinetry. Our carpenters were highly skilled but their understanding of furniture was very different to ours on the whole and so we wanted to be sure that they understood exactly what we were trying to achieve. I actually made our first-ever curved cabinet for the Chichester kitchen in our China workshop.”

We asked if he designs much outside of Neptune.

“I design guitars. Electric ones. I’ve been playing since I was 14 and thought I’d try to make them myself.” He’s never been taught. His approach has been more ‘look and learn’ in that he would look at a guitar and deconstruct the steps that would go into its making. “I’ve used YouTube to help with the technical elements of guitar design. I’ve made about four; one was a gift for a friend.”

Joe Satriani is his favourite artist.

There was more.

“We’ve just built a house. Well. A bungalow, in Devizes. Not the bricks and mortar but anything to do with wood like the stud partitions, door linings and fitted wardrobes. And of course I’ve filled it with Neptune cabinetry. Jayne does the painting, I’m rubbish at that.”

They started about a year ago and are almost finished. He hopes they can move in by new year.

Our final question was whether he thinks he’ ll always be a designer.

We said if your answer is no, then we’ll keep our lips sealed and pretend we didn’t ask. It didn’t go that way though. “Definitely. All I want to do is design. It’s who I am I guess.”

NEPTUNE.COM

10/21/2016 8:20:33 PM

WINTER 2016

66

Call us

FIR ELIGHTERS

It was mid-October when we overheard somebody in our Wiltshire head office ask another “have you started using your woodburner yet?” It wasn’t just a casual wondering. It was full of hope and excitement. Almost as though they were seeking some sort of confirmation that yes, it’s that time of year, and yes they too should hurry home tonight and pick up some kindling on the way. Fire lighting is special. It’s one of the aspects of winter that we look forward to the most. The moment that we see a neighbour’s chimney gently puffing away, the moment that our noses wriggle as they detect that incredible scent that fills the air outside, we know for sure that winter has arrived, and that Christmas won’t be too far behind it.

This is Honed Slate. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

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10/21/2016 8:20:38 PM

WINTER 2016

66

Call us

FIR ELIGHTERS

It was mid-October when we overheard somebody in our Wiltshire head office ask another “have you started using your woodburner yet?” It wasn’t just a casual wondering. It was full of hope and excitement. Almost as though they were seeking some sort of confirmation that yes, it’s that time of year, and yes they too should hurry home tonight and pick up some kindling on the way. Fire lighting is special. It’s one of the aspects of winter that we look forward to the most. The moment that we see a neighbour’s chimney gently puffing away, the moment that our noses wriggle as they detect that incredible scent that fills the air outside, we know for sure that winter has arrived, and that Christmas won’t be too far behind it.

This is Honed Slate. Available in eggshell and matt emulsion

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10/21/2016 8:20:38 PM

WINTER 2016

68

OUR FIR ESIDE SECR ETS, SH A R ED

Lighting a fire though is somewhat of an art. Perhaps that’s what makes it even more special. For those who had a real fire in their childhood home, they’ll remember lessons in fire-making with siblings and parents, as they’re taught a skill that’s passed onto them and that they’ll cherish forever.

And for those who make a woodburning stove part of their home and are about to create their very-first embers, they’ll realise that actually, it’s not quite as simple as wood and match. Neither is it as simple as wood, match and crumpled newspaper. There’s a knack. It takes practice. And then there are those little things that each family does differently to make theirs a delight that’s only true to them. So we gathered together and shared some of our family fire secrets so this winter, our flames can shine brighter than ever before.

Newspaper or fire lighter?

A broadsheet newspaper twizzled into butterfly twists is a method we know and love. But more recently we’ve discovered Flamers fire lighters. They’re a green alternative that are natural, wax-dipped wood shavings and don’t carry an odour. You only need one or two and they can completely replace your need for newspaper. They create a lovely tall flame.

Kindling towers We always choose the wigwam structure. It never fails. Place your Flamers bundle in the middle of your wigwam, in the centre of the grate.

Log laws To begin with, we’ve found it best to place one log to the left, and another to the right, of your kindling wigwam. It helps to draw the air. In terms of what wood to use, there are no clearly defined rules, but we tend to avoid kiln-dried (they’re expensive and a in our opinion, unnecessary), and instead opt for logs that have been cut and seasoned for at least a year. In other words, don’t buy this season’s trees. Ideally, logs should be seasoned in an airy barn, but an outdoor stack also works as long as the top row in waterproof.

In terms of log type, we suggest mixed, medium hardwoods. Pine can be risky as it is seriously sappy and will contaminate your flue. Mixed, medium hardwoods may cost more, but you don’t need to use so many as they burn slowly and produce more heat to keep you toasty all winter long.

A question of draw Once the fi relighter is lit and your two logs positioned, shut the door of your woodburner leaving just 1cm (at the most) open to help draw the air. Once it all gets going and the kindling begins to turn black and twisty, add more logs and shut the door completely. You should then open your woodburner’s dampers (usually by pulling out the little rod or turning a cog at the front of your stove) so that the fl ames roar and your logs catch. Once your fi re is in full swing, you can reduce the draw so the fl ames slowly dance.

Make it festive At Christmas time, we love to collect pine cones and bring them home to toss them onto the fire.

It fills your home with the most delicious aroma.

And when they’re not being roasted, they only add to your festive fireplace arrangement. Keep a little basket of them near to your logs, or nestle them into a garland of greenery along the mantel, picking them off as and when you and your fire desire.

And remember, remember That a fire needs three things: something flammable, plenty of oxygen and a spark. Yes there are artistic elements to fire-lighting but a clear understanding of these three ingredients will always promise a beautiful bake.

PAGE 65 Florence cushion in Hector Fossil £65 Kingswood throw in Mole Grey £105

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10/21/2016 8:20:40 PM

WINTER 2016

68

OUR FIR ESIDE SECR ETS, SH A R ED

Lighting a fire though is somewhat of an art. Perhaps that’s what makes it even more special. For those who had a real fire in their childhood home, they’ll remember lessons in fire-making with siblings and parents, as they’re taught a skill that’s passed onto them and that they’ll cherish forever.

And for those who make a woodburning stove part of their home and are about to create their very-first embers, they’ll realise that actually, it’s not quite as simple as wood and match. Neither is it as simple as wood, match and crumpled newspaper. There’s a knack. It takes practice. And then there are those little things that each family does differently to make theirs a delight that’s only true to them. So we gathered together and shared some of our family fire secrets so this winter, our flames can shine brighter than ever before.

Newspaper or fire lighter?

A broadsheet newspaper twizzled into butterfly twists is a method we know and love. But more recently we’ve discovered Flamers fire lighters. They’re a green alternative that are natural, wax-dipped wood shavings and don’t carry an odour. You only need one or two and they can completely replace your need for newspaper. They create a lovely tall flame.

Kindling towers We always choose the wigwam structure. It never fails. Place your Flamers bundle in the middle of your wigwam, in the centre of the grate.

Log laws To begin with, we’ve found it best to place one log to the left, and another to the right, of your kindling wigwam. It helps to draw the air. In terms of what wood to use, there are no clearly defined rules, but we tend to avoid kiln-dried (they’re expensive and a in our opinion, unnecessary), and instead opt for logs that have been cut and seasoned for at least a year. In other words, don’t buy this season’s trees. Ideally, logs should be seasoned in an airy barn, but an outdoor stack also works as long as the top row in waterproof.

In terms of log type, we suggest mixed, medium hardwoods. Pine can be risky as it is seriously sappy and will contaminate your flue. Mixed, medium hardwoods may cost more, but you don’t need to use so many as they burn slowly and produce more heat to keep you toasty all winter long.

A question of draw Once the fi relighter is lit and your two logs positioned, shut the door of your woodburner leaving just 1cm (at the most) open to help draw the air. Once it all gets going and the kindling begins to turn black and twisty, add more logs and shut the door completely. You should then open your woodburner’s dampers (usually by pulling out the little rod or turning a cog at the front of your stove) so that the fl ames roar and your logs catch. Once your fi re is in full swing, you can reduce the draw so the fl ames slowly dance.

Make it festive At Christmas time, we love to collect pine cones and bring them home to toss them onto the fire.

It fills your home with the most delicious aroma.

And when they’re not being roasted, they only add to your festive fireplace arrangement. Keep a little basket of them near to your logs, or nestle them into a garland of greenery along the mantel, picking them off as and when you and your fire desire.

And remember, remember That a fire needs three things: something flammable, plenty of oxygen and a spark. Yes there are artistic elements to fire-lighting but a clear understanding of these three ingredients will always promise a beautiful bake.

PAGE 65 Florence cushion in Hector Fossil £65 Kingswood throw in Mole Grey £105

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10/21/2016 8:20:40 PM

69

STORIES

EV ERGR EEN

A P L AC E BEYOND THE PINES

As the months edge ever closer to mid-winter, it feels like the perfect time to appreciate the beauty of the evergreen.

From the Scottish Fir – the calm elder statesmen of the tree world – to lower lying tangles of glossy holly bushes, evergreens have a special place in the winter landscape.

And in our imaginations.

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10/21/2016 8:20:48 PM

69

STORIES

EV ERGR EEN

A P L AC E BEYOND THE PINES

As the months edge ever closer to mid-winter, it feels like the perfect time to appreciate the beauty of the evergreen.

From the Scottish Fir – the calm elder statesmen of the tree world – to lower lying tangles of glossy holly bushes, evergreens have a special place in the winter landscape.

And in our imaginations.

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The perfect bedspread It starts with pillows and duvet. We love feather and down because it’s a sumptuously squishy combination that has a lofty look to it when it’s laid out. When it comes to the linen, it has to be a high thread count Egyptian cotton. Nothing feels lovelier against the skin.

Take a look at our online article ‘How to: make the perfect bedspread’ for style advice on laying pillows and cushions and layering blankets at the foot of the bed.

And the perfect bedside On each bedside table place a little basket or trinket tray filled with considerate bits and bobs like an aromatherapy pillow spray (we love anything from This Works’ sleep collection) or a pretty pouch of lavender, a spare phone charger, cotton pads, and a carefully selected magazine to go underneath the basket so they know it’s been chosen just for them.

Let them lounge Surprise (and delight) your guests by purchasing two fluff y towelling robes and hanging them on the back of the door. First and foremost they’ll think of a spa, which is no bad connotation to have encouraged. And by choosing a towelling robe, they have the option of using that in the shower room so there’s no awkward sprint from bathroom to bedroom or the annoyance of carting all your clothes into the steamiest spot in the house. Go one step further by putting matching towelling slippers at the foot of the bed too.

Stay hydrated It’s not uncommon to be struck with middle-of-thenight thirst. This is especially so at Christmas time when many of us awake the next morning somewhat ‘parched’. So fill a carafe or elegant jug with fresh water and a few tumblers on the nightstand. If you’re feeling extra fancy, include a saucer with a few slices of cucumber, lemon and lime and a clear tumbler on top to keep them fresh so your guests can choose if they want their water plain and simple, or delicately flavoured.

And just before bedtime In case some guests decide to go to sleep a little earlier than others, at around 9pm, nip upstairs and turn on the bedside lamps and any bedroom candles. It’s a simple thing to do, but makes the room feel so much more inviting, and is guaranteed to make your guests smile from the moment their tiptoes go, over the threshold.

Finish by giving yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.

Aldwych tall side table £375 Fairfax medium lamp with Lucile shade £120 Ferne Frosted wreath £19/£51 Ashcroft small box tray £25 Madeleine chair in Hugo Mustard £410 Sefton throw £170

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WINTER 2016

Evergreen trees and foliage lend a dose of life-affirming colour to a snow-dusted hillside. No wonder the ability of evergreen trees to remain luminous through the long winter has stirred the minds of storytellers and nature lovers over the centuries.

Hosts of fairy-tales are rooted in Germany’s wooded heartland. A wealth of Native American legends pay homage to the power of the pine.

And there are Celtic myths that grew out of the Scottish glades and densely covered hillsides.

The magic of an evergreen’s year-round colour is all down to its leaves.

They’re designed to withstand the cold and retain moisture better than other types. Some, such as pine and fir trees, have long, thin needles instead of a wider, flatter leaf. Others, such as holly, have tough leaves with a waxy sheen. This means that, as long as they get enough water, evergreens still grow and release oxygen, but at a slower pace than more ‘fair-weather’ trees.

Top of the evergreens has to be the pine tree. And there’s no better way to appreciate the majesty of the pine than by exploring the depths of a forest. Ancient woodland has a unique atmosphere, but even the more recent man-made plantations can emulate this enigmatic environment.

In the midst of a dark pine forest, sound travels differently. The outside world seems muffled and distant. In fact, it’s easy to lose your bearings.

No wonder myths and stories about the lure of the forest have sprung up the world over.

Then there are those mysterious clusters of tall pines that you sometimes spot atop a hillock, seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

They were planted along the old byways to help sheep and cattle drovers orientate themselves and their herd. Sometimes they were route markets saying, ‘Yes, you’re on the right track’. Often they were a sign of comfort: to mark an inn, a field where they could shelter or a safe place to ford a river.

As for the recent, rather regimented plantations that exist throughout the UK, most are a legacy of planting by the Forestry Commission between the wars. The well-intentioned aim was to create a reserve of timber, planting Douglas fir, Corsican pine, Sitka spruce and larch. This is what created the forests of Thetford and Holkham in Norfolk and even tracts of Scotland.

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However, as the decades passed, it was found that these dense forests were so dark that little else could thrive at lower levels. Today, many are being thinned out and replanted, so that wildlife, birds and other plants can return.

A more authentic ancient pineland is Loch Arkaig in Scotland, where the native Scots pine grows alongside birch, juniper, willow and rowan. Smaller plants and mosses with ancient, magical names – bilberry, twinflower, ladies’ tresses and wintergreens – also wind around the woodland floor.

To admire pine trees in a more cultivated environment, head to Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent. Some of its oldest trees have grown from seeds brought back by Victorian explorers, while others arrived from Kew Gardens in the 1920s, as they were failing in the polluted London air. Today, Bedgebury’s forest trails are an expanse of greens, browns, yellows and deep reds.

Because, as any gardener knows, the evergreen is rarely one single shade.

Nature presents needles, leaves and berries in a wide spectrum of colours, from acidic yellow to a lavender blue, rich berry red to sap green.

In our own back gardens, the variety of evergreen bushes and hedges that can flourish through winter includes silvery-grey eucalyptus, the bay tree, laurel, yew and box. In larger spaces, there’s the opportunity to nurture natives such as Scots pine or juniper. Then there’s the holly bush, which brings the joy of harvesting armfuls of prickly, berry-rich sprigs, come Christmas.

We have Prince Albert to thank for introducing Britain to the pleasures of an indoor Christmas tree. He recreated the German tradition at Windsor Palace in 1848. After that, every self-respecting Victorian followed his example, draping their trees with baubles and sugary treats.

These days, buying a potted tree that can live on in your garden is the greenest option. Mini potted pines are a lovely addition to your garden table, providing it with some winter warmth and inviting it into your Christmas scheme. Failing that, buy a tree that’s grown locally, rather than imported. Just before Twelfth Night, your tree can be recycled, with the chippings used in local parks. We believe in cutting with regret, but using with integrity. Or go for a replica that will last year after year and has been made slowly and carefully to match the ‘real thing’ as best as it can.

Evergreens are not just for Christmas. But, in our homes and in the natural world, they retain a certain allure. Like its hardy leaves, the spirit of the evergreen endures.

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STORIES

VOLUME 3

STOR IES FOR SPR ING

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STORIES

STOR IES FOR W INTER

VOLUME 2 WINTER 2016

W E BELIEV E In making things properly. That simple is beautiful. And more than anything, that our homes should make us happy. Every day.

What we don’t believe in is shortcuts. So every one of our kitchen cabinets is designed as a freestanding piece of furniture. It means they’re made as they should be from every angle. Even the back of a cabinet deserves to be beautiful.

Suffolk kitchen by Neptune. Arundel oak dining table, £1,400. Keats pendant light, £74.

neptune.com Stores nationwide

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25/10/2016 16:59:43