Stories 4 GBP

STORIES

STOR IES FOR SUMMER

VOLUME 4 SUMMER 2017

W E BELIEV E that less is often more While we champion complex engineering (where it’s necessary), meticulous and careful thinking, and do-thingsdifferently design, ultimately, we want the end result to just feel easy. Things that look lovely, are a joy to have in our lives, that are simple to use, that don’t try too hard, and that make our everyday that bit better.

Madeleine chair in Jack Mustard, £440.

English rose in Dusky Pink and Raspberry, £16. Corinium large jug vase, £25.

neptune.com Stores nationwide

SUMMER 2017

“Summer afternoon – summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”

Henry James

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

Foreword

Features

Summer is bright blue skies, when the only clouds visible are the high, wispy ones.

It’s morning light breaking its way through shutters and curtains, waking you before your alarm has the chance. It’s stepping outside without a jacket or a goosepimple in sight. It’s melting ice creams, it’s picnics, it’s barbecues, it’s salads aplenty.

It’s doing as many activities in the garden as you possibly can. Be it reading, be it working, be it simply those ten-minute tasks like phoning home or going through the post. It’s going for a walk after work, just because you can.

Summer can’t all be squeezed into one book, but in our fourth volume of Stories, we’ve had a good go at bringing together some of its loveliest sentiments. We’ve interspersed those articles with a few topical tales (such as the opening of our new store in Wimbledon, see page 56) and one or two pieces that aren’t specific to the season, but that we think you might find of interest (including our article on what goes into a piece of Neptune upholstery on page 37). That’s what Stories is all about – stories about you, stories about us, and stories about the happier things in life, giving you something to escape with, until the summer sun goes down.

A L L D R E S S E D U P 5 It’s time to rethink your garden. And we don’t just mean sprucing up the flowerbeds, or wiping down the patio furniture. Rethink what your garden can be: a whole extra room outdoors, just waiting for some fresh, creative thinking.

M E ET SI MON S TA L L A R D 13 In March, a few of us had lunch with a man called Simon Stallard, founder of the Cornish eaterie, The Hidden Hut. Lunch became a three-hour long, utterly inspiring conversation. Let us introduce you to Simon Stallard. “A guy who just loves food.”

D OI NG T H I NG S PROPE R LY 65 At Neptune, we talk a lot about timeless design, but what does that actually mean? We sat down with Giles Redman, co-founder of Neptune, to talk raw materials, his focus on functionality, and the challenges that come with natural timber, all in the name of building to last.

NEPTUNE.COM

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

Foreword

Features

Summer is bright blue skies, when the only clouds visible are the high, wispy ones.

It’s morning light breaking its way through shutters and curtains, waking you before your alarm has the chance. It’s stepping outside without a jacket or a goosepimple in sight. It’s melting ice creams, it’s picnics, it’s barbecues, it’s salads aplenty.

It’s doing as many activities in the garden as you possibly can. Be it reading, be it working, be it simply those ten-minute tasks like phoning home or going through the post. It’s going for a walk after work, just because you can.

Summer can’t all be squeezed into one book, but in our fourth volume of Stories, we’ve had a good go at bringing together some of its loveliest sentiments. We’ve interspersed those articles with a few topical tales (such as the opening of our new store in Wimbledon, see page 56) and one or two pieces that aren’t specific to the season, but that we think you might find of interest (including our article on what goes into a piece of Neptune upholstery on page 37). That’s what Stories is all about – stories about you, stories about us, and stories about the happier things in life, giving you something to escape with, until the summer sun goes down.

A L L D R E S S E D U P 5 It’s time to rethink your garden. And we don’t just mean sprucing up the flowerbeds, or wiping down the patio furniture. Rethink what your garden can be: a whole extra room outdoors, just waiting for some fresh, creative thinking.

M E ET SI MON S TA L L A R D 13 In March, a few of us had lunch with a man called Simon Stallard, founder of the Cornish eaterie, The Hidden Hut. Lunch became a three-hour long, utterly inspiring conversation. Let us introduce you to Simon Stallard. “A guy who just loves food.”

D OI NG T H I NG S PROPE R LY 65 At Neptune, we talk a lot about timeless design, but what does that actually mean? We sat down with Giles Redman, co-founder of Neptune, to talk raw materials, his focus on functionality, and the challenges that come with natural timber, all in the name of building to last.

NEPTUNE.COM

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5

STORIES

SUMMER 2017

All dressed up BY A MY BR ADFOR D

It’s time to rethink your garden. And we don’t just mean sprucing up the flowerbeds, or dusting down the patio furniture. Rethink what your garden can be: a whole extra room outdoors, just waiting for some fresh, creative thinking.

Harrogate six-seater table in Fog £940 Provence dining chair £120 Chatto sofa £1,260 Havana dining chair in Silver Birch £245 Imperial pendant light £210

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

All dressed up BY A MY BR ADFOR D

It’s time to rethink your garden. And we don’t just mean sprucing up the flowerbeds, or dusting down the patio furniture. Rethink what your garden can be: a whole extra room outdoors, just waiting for some fresh, creative thinking.

Harrogate six-seater table in Fog £940 Provence dining chair £120 Chatto sofa £1,260 Havana dining chair in Silver Birch £245 Imperial pendant light £210

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We’re big believers in making our gardens so much more than a space for relaxing on a sunny day. So let the arrival of summer inspire some original thinking.

Approach your garden as an extra room in your home, and watch its potential bloom with the roses.

Whether you have a small terrace, a covered deck area or a rambling garden, the first step is to throw open the doors that separate inside and out.

Think about the things you find essential indoors, as well as the things that bring your rooms to life, and then take some of them outside. Of course, we’re not suggesting you take your bed into the garden – that wouldn’t be practical. But why not make your outdoor furniture as comfortable as the pieces in your living room? Our new Chatto Lloyd Loom sofa and armchair are designed with soft curves that make them easy to relax in (they’d look just as good indoors, either in a conservatory, bedroom, or the armchair can look lovely in a bathroom).

Seating arranged, add a selection of cushions in water-resistant fabrics (ours come in neutral colours and stripes that work with everything), or if the weather’s going to be good, bring out some of the ones on your sofa. The deep-green velvets and pretty cabbage-rose prints from our spring/summer collection look beautiful in leafy settings.

MAIN IMAGE Monaco six-seater table £765 Wardley painted dining chair £270 Edinburgh large round mirror £660 Alderney medium and large vases £42/£62 Kate hanging tealight holder £8 Hanley small and medium candlesticks £25/£30

We’re big believers in making our gardens so much more than a space for relaxing on a sunny day. So let the arrival of summer inspire some original thinking.

Approach your garden as an extra room in your home, and watch its potential bloom with the roses.

Whether you have a small terrace, a covered deck area or a rambling garden, the first step is to throw open the doors that separate inside and out.

Think about the things you find essential indoors, as well as the things that bring your rooms to life, and then take some of them outside. Of course, we’re not suggesting you take your bed into the garden – that wouldn’t be practical. But why not make your outdoor furniture as comfortable as the pieces in your living room? Our new Chatto Lloyd Loom sofa and armchair are designed with soft curves that make them easy to relax in (they’d look just as good indoors, either in a conservatory, bedroom, or the armchair can look lovely in a bathroom).

Seating arranged, add a selection of cushions in water-resistant fabrics (ours come in neutral colours and stripes that work with everything), or if the weather’s going to be good, bring out some of the ones on your sofa. The deep-green velvets and pretty cabbage-rose prints from our spring/summer collection look beautiful in leafy settings.

MAIN IMAGE Monaco six-seater table £765 Wardley painted dining chair £270 Edinburgh large round mirror £660 Alderney medium and large vases £42/£62 Kate hanging tealight holder £8 Hanley small and medium candlesticks £25/£30

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

Lighting is often neglected in gardens, but consider it carefully and you’ll get much more use out of your space. Our versatile bronze-finish Dartmouth light can be installed on walls or garden posts and creates a focused pool of light wherever you need it – seating areas, bordering a walkway or even to highlight a favourite area of planting. Complement fixed lighting like this with the more spontaneous. For al fresco supper parties, we still love old favourites such as simple light garlands of bare bulbs threaded along walls or through branches. We’ll also place tealights in our Tyburn mirrored or Neve amber glass holders for a warm glow, or our Newington hurricane vase with a Blyton pillar candle as a table centrepiece – if it’s breezy, the vase will protect the flame.

Indoors, mirrors amplify light, so use the same trick in your garden. Why not prop our Versailles floor mirror against a wall where it will reflect the space and help it feel larger? It has an all-glass bevelled frame that will withstand exposure to light showers.

Hang smaller mirrors on garden walls or prop them in flowerbeds. For special occasions, bring out a hallway console table and lean a mirror on top, using it as a place to serve drinks. Mirrors outdoors have a magical feel and double the impact of candlelight.

Mirrors aren’t the only way to dress up your garden. Hand-painted silk flowers are surprisingly useful in outdoor table settings. Blending fresh blooms with life-like ones is a trick we picked up at a flower festival. It instantly creates the impression of a more lush, bountiful garden with no effort at all. Roses and peonies, succulents, herbs and even olive trees are all part of our collection, so you can easily change the look of your space. Make it more

Ella tumblers, set of six, all colours shown £36 Portland ten-seater table £1,820 Tuscany armchair £320 Bowsley and Croxton tabletop collections – available in-store and online

romantic with flowers, layer up with greenery for a fresh feel or simply add structure with groups of potted herbs and shrubs.

As with indoor living, a few not-too-difficult touches can transform your garden. If you have a lawn, deck or terrace, try turning it into a picnic beauty spot by bringing a rug outdoors. Our new flatweave Whytock rug, with its striking geometric print, feels much nicer to sit on than a blanket.

Backed in latex and canvas, it’s robust enough for outdoor lounging on dry days. Add throws and cushions to up the comfort factor. For a real sense of occasion, wheel our Manhattan chrome and glass trolley outdoors for drinks with friends. In a small garden, it could double as a coffee table alongside benches and chairs – just don’t forget to take it back inside once the party’s over.

Your outdoor space is there to be decorated just like you would your living room, grouping objects creatively and thinking about combinations of colour and texture. Our Hickstead terracotta horse has a lovely patina that’s perfect for outdoors, and it’s designed to sit alongside our Rosemary, Bay and Basil terracotta pots. Or complement areas of planting with our Strobus pine cones – use them to add character to empty areas or to fill gaps in flowerbeds.

The garden room. It needn’t be an extra building at the end of the garden. Chances are, you already have one, and it’s waiting to be taken advantage of all summer long.

AMY BRADFORD is the former features director of ELLE Decoration. She is now a contributing editor at the title and also writes on interiors for The Telegraph Magazine and Stella.

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

Lighting is often neglected in gardens, but consider it carefully and you’ll get much more use out of your space. Our versatile bronze-finish Dartmouth light can be installed on walls or garden posts and creates a focused pool of light wherever you need it – seating areas, bordering a walkway or even to highlight a favourite area of planting. Complement fixed lighting like this with the more spontaneous. For al fresco supper parties, we still love old favourites such as simple light garlands of bare bulbs threaded along walls or through branches. We’ll also place tealights in our Tyburn mirrored or Neve amber glass holders for a warm glow, or our Newington hurricane vase with a Blyton pillar candle as a table centrepiece – if it’s breezy, the vase will protect the flame.

Indoors, mirrors amplify light, so use the same trick in your garden. Why not prop our Versailles floor mirror against a wall where it will reflect the space and help it feel larger? It has an all-glass bevelled frame that will withstand exposure to light showers.

Hang smaller mirrors on garden walls or prop them in flowerbeds. For special occasions, bring out a hallway console table and lean a mirror on top, using it as a place to serve drinks. Mirrors outdoors have a magical feel and double the impact of candlelight.

Mirrors aren’t the only way to dress up your garden. Hand-painted silk flowers are surprisingly useful in outdoor table settings. Blending fresh blooms with life-like ones is a trick we picked up at a flower festival. It instantly creates the impression of a more lush, bountiful garden with no effort at all. Roses and peonies, succulents, herbs and even olive trees are all part of our collection, so you can easily change the look of your space. Make it more

Ella tumblers, set of six, all colours shown £36 Portland ten-seater table £1,820 Tuscany armchair £320 Bowsley and Croxton tabletop collections – available in-store and online

romantic with flowers, layer up with greenery for a fresh feel or simply add structure with groups of potted herbs and shrubs.

As with indoor living, a few not-too-difficult touches can transform your garden. If you have a lawn, deck or terrace, try turning it into a picnic beauty spot by bringing a rug outdoors. Our new flatweave Whytock rug, with its striking geometric print, feels much nicer to sit on than a blanket.

Backed in latex and canvas, it’s robust enough for outdoor lounging on dry days. Add throws and cushions to up the comfort factor. For a real sense of occasion, wheel our Manhattan chrome and glass trolley outdoors for drinks with friends. In a small garden, it could double as a coffee table alongside benches and chairs – just don’t forget to take it back inside once the party’s over.

Your outdoor space is there to be decorated just like you would your living room, grouping objects creatively and thinking about combinations of colour and texture. Our Hickstead terracotta horse has a lovely patina that’s perfect for outdoors, and it’s designed to sit alongside our Rosemary, Bay and Basil terracotta pots. Or complement areas of planting with our Strobus pine cones – use them to add character to empty areas or to fill gaps in flowerbeds.

The garden room. It needn’t be an extra building at the end of the garden. Chances are, you already have one, and it’s waiting to be taken advantage of all summer long.

AMY BRADFORD is the former features director of ELLE Decoration. She is now a contributing editor at the title and also writes on interiors for The Telegraph Magazine and Stella.

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STORIES

Feed the birds Contrary to popular belief, birds still need a helping hand in summertime.

By feeding birds all year around, we give them a better chance of thriving even when their stores run low. And when they do stop by to gratefully peck, is it not one of life’s simple pleasures to sit and watch, to do a who’s who, and, with the help of a little one, count their numbers as they come and as they go.

When it comes to summer months, a bird’s diet calls for high-protein foods. Black sunflower seeds, pinhead oatmeal, soaked sultanas, raisins and currants; even mild grated cheese are all perfect provisions for garden birds. Sunflower hearts are also worth looking into as they require less energy to eat than seeds with husks, perfect for baby birds, and they create less waste at your feeding station.

If you’re hoping to attract a goldfinch or two, try scattering some niger seeds. While (unsalted and free from aflatoxin) crushed peanuts can be a wellreceived snack, it’s best to avoid these during summer.

The same applies to any home-made balls that contain fat (such as lard or suet) as they don’t fare too well in the warm weather. Bird tables always look lovely and provide a stable spot for feeding, but hanging feeders will attract different species of birds so it’s good to have a mixture of the two, and of course, bowls of clean water so nobody goes thirsty. Extra ‘snacks’ like these can make a huge difference, as summer is a time

when many birds will have their ‘hands’ full raising their young. The RSPB recommends feeding little and often.

In spring, birdsong echoes all around. But come late-summer (typically in August) that chorus comes to a sudden end, and we notice fewer and fewer visitors to our gardens. This is because the breeding season has come to an end and birds begin to moult their feathers over the course of a few weeks. This includes their wing feathers, making them less able to fly to pop down for a bite from your bird table, and less able to escape predators.

So, they stay tucked away, somewhere safe, for as long as they possibly can. By giving visiting birds plenty of opportunity to peck and nibble through spring and early summer, we can rest assured that we’ve done our bit to give them, and their young, the nutrition they need to stay suitably full, before they visit us again in September, suitably fluffy and no doubt, just a little bit peckish.

Our pages show a sample of shades for our house-blended paint collection.

This is Dove Grey. Available in emulsion and eggshell paint pots.

11

STORIES

Feed the birds Contrary to popular belief, birds still need a helping hand in summertime.

By feeding birds all year around, we give them a better chance of thriving even when their stores run low. And when they do stop by to gratefully peck, is it not one of life’s simple pleasures to sit and watch, to do a who’s who, and, with the help of a little one, count their numbers as they come and as they go.

When it comes to summer months, a bird’s diet calls for high-protein foods. Black sunflower seeds, pinhead oatmeal, soaked sultanas, raisins and currants; even mild grated cheese are all perfect provisions for garden birds. Sunflower hearts are also worth looking into as they require less energy to eat than seeds with husks, perfect for baby birds, and they create less waste at your feeding station.

If you’re hoping to attract a goldfinch or two, try scattering some niger seeds. While (unsalted and free from aflatoxin) crushed peanuts can be a wellreceived snack, it’s best to avoid these during summer.

The same applies to any home-made balls that contain fat (such as lard or suet) as they don’t fare too well in the warm weather. Bird tables always look lovely and provide a stable spot for feeding, but hanging feeders will attract different species of birds so it’s good to have a mixture of the two, and of course, bowls of clean water so nobody goes thirsty. Extra ‘snacks’ like these can make a huge difference, as summer is a time

when many birds will have their ‘hands’ full raising their young. The RSPB recommends feeding little and often.

In spring, birdsong echoes all around. But come late-summer (typically in August) that chorus comes to a sudden end, and we notice fewer and fewer visitors to our gardens. This is because the breeding season has come to an end and birds begin to moult their feathers over the course of a few weeks. This includes their wing feathers, making them less able to fly to pop down for a bite from your bird table, and less able to escape predators.

So, they stay tucked away, somewhere safe, for as long as they possibly can. By giving visiting birds plenty of opportunity to peck and nibble through spring and early summer, we can rest assured that we’ve done our bit to give them, and their young, the nutrition they need to stay suitably full, before they visit us again in September, suitably fluffy and no doubt, just a little bit peckish.

Our pages show a sample of shades for our house-blended paint collection.

This is Dove Grey. Available in emulsion and eggshell paint pots.

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

MEET

Simon Stallard The Hidden Hut, Cornwall

In March, three of us sat down to have lunch with a man called Simon Stallard. It was John (one of our founders) who introduced us.

He’d told us about this unbelievable restaurant on a Cornish cove, explaining moments later that it’s not really a restaurant, but couldn’t find just one word to explain what on earth it was he’d come across.

He talked about the man behind it, but again, there didn’t seem to be one single word that described who he was. Instead, there was a lot of “he’s just so…” and a string of wonderful adjectives. He insisted that we meet him. So we did, inviting him to our Wiltshire home.

Lunch became a three-hour long, utterly inspiring conversation, where we listened – hooked on every word – where we asked question after question – desperate to know more – and where we left beaming – desperate to put pen to paper about the man we’d just met.

Let us introduce you to Simon Stallard. “A guy who just loves food.”

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

MEET

Simon Stallard The Hidden Hut, Cornwall

In March, three of us sat down to have lunch with a man called Simon Stallard. It was John (one of our founders) who introduced us.

He’d told us about this unbelievable restaurant on a Cornish cove, explaining moments later that it’s not really a restaurant, but couldn’t find just one word to explain what on earth it was he’d come across.

He talked about the man behind it, but again, there didn’t seem to be one single word that described who he was. Instead, there was a lot of “he’s just so…” and a string of wonderful adjectives. He insisted that we meet him. So we did, inviting him to our Wiltshire home.

Lunch became a three-hour long, utterly inspiring conversation, where we listened – hooked on every word – where we asked question after question – desperate to know more – and where we left beaming – desperate to put pen to paper about the man we’d just met.

Let us introduce you to Simon Stallard. “A guy who just loves food.”

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

Simon was born and raised in Farnham. His love of food began at his grandparents’ where they served big food (the quantities and the flavours, Simon explained) at a big table. He went on to study at the catering college in Guildford before spending years moving around Europe, from France to Austria to Italy, cooking and learning. He settled in Cornwall about 12 years ago when a friend bought a 16th century coaching inn that he was asked to manage.

This was where he would start to do his thing.

“I followed other people’s dreams at first, but I needed to do what mattered to me. Like my Grandma, it had to be about togetherness.”

To create the menu, Simon struck up a deal with a local farmer to grow ingredients for the inn on two acres of his land. He sought out a source for lamb and a fisherman who caught the best of the best. Suddenly there was this honey pot of amazing produce that just happened to be local.

It was a happy coincidence. He tasted the most delicious roast potatoes, found the grower and agreed a delivery for the inn. It never came. He complained and rearranged. For a second time, it never came.

He got a little shirty with the farmer, frustrated with being messed around; the farmer promised he’d have potatoes the next week. A few days later he delivered approximately 40 tonnes, tipping them all over the car park. Simon had to learn that some growers did things their own way, and for the best produce, he would have to work on their terms.

He still works with that potato farmer to this day.

And to this day he remains ‘challenging’.

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

Simon was born and raised in Farnham. His love of food began at his grandparents’ where they served big food (the quantities and the flavours, Simon explained) at a big table. He went on to study at the catering college in Guildford before spending years moving around Europe, from France to Austria to Italy, cooking and learning. He settled in Cornwall about 12 years ago when a friend bought a 16th century coaching inn that he was asked to manage.

This was where he would start to do his thing.

“I followed other people’s dreams at first, but I needed to do what mattered to me. Like my Grandma, it had to be about togetherness.”

To create the menu, Simon struck up a deal with a local farmer to grow ingredients for the inn on two acres of his land. He sought out a source for lamb and a fisherman who caught the best of the best. Suddenly there was this honey pot of amazing produce that just happened to be local.

It was a happy coincidence. He tasted the most delicious roast potatoes, found the grower and agreed a delivery for the inn. It never came. He complained and rearranged. For a second time, it never came.

He got a little shirty with the farmer, frustrated with being messed around; the farmer promised he’d have potatoes the next week. A few days later he delivered approximately 40 tonnes, tipping them all over the car park. Simon had to learn that some growers did things their own way, and for the best produce, he would have to work on their terms.

He still works with that potato farmer to this day.

And to this day he remains ‘challenging’.

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

His friend eventually sold the inn. Simon became the manager of the Cornish Fishmonger (a specialist, family-run business) and then things really began to change. One day, he came across a typical bucket and spade shop in the middle of nowhere on a Cornish cove. He loved it instantly and negotiated a new lease with The National Trust. Everyone thought he was mad. Along with his partner, Jemma, he gathered a small team of incredibly talented ‘beach cooks’ and put up a chalkboard on the main road saying ‘Mackerel grill, Wednesday, 7pm’. They bought enough for 100. 140 came. They were amazed. The next week they did the same but got plenty more food (to serve 200). 250 came. And so The Hidden Hut was born.

The Hidden Hut, in a nutshell, is an unassuming ‘shack’ on Porthcurnick Beach on the Roseland Peninsula. There are between 7-10 on the team and all they do is cook delicious food. On feast nights, you bring your own plates, your own cutlery, your own drink, and people gather on huge tables, or on the sand, to eat food that is honest, hearty and wholesome, with people you know and people who you don’t. They host outdoor feasts every few weeks (the day changes each time), and they sell tickets to avoid people going away hungry like on their first two feasts. It’s now the fastest selling food event in the UK, selling out in eight seconds. Think bobble hats and flip flops, think hot water bottles and

blankets, think families, friends and neighbours, think postman sat next to mayor. There are no rules at ‘the hut’. Simon and Jemma (and now their little boy, Oscar) care only to make the best possible food, using the best possible ingredients, to get everyone together. We asked Simon whether there was one dish for which the Hut has become famous. “Our smoked haddock and bacon chowder in a big bowl with a chunk of bread. Amazing.”

There’s so much more to say about Simon, about the hut, and about the million and one other things we covered. We’ll hopefully share more with you in future volumes of Stories, because we’re sure you’ll find it fascinating. In those three hours, we watched and we listened to a man talk to us, so naturally and so earnestly, about all of the things that matter the most to us too. From family and bringing people together to doing things properly.

From celebrating local craft to not being afraid to go overseas to find the people who are the experts in their particular field, and to celebrate working together. Like us, he knows that there are plenty of others out there, doing something similar, but he wanted to do it differently, to do it better, to pick the concept apart, to take it back to basics, and to rebuild it in his own way. His big idea is much the same as ours, “I want to make what we do incredible. To be broad, but never too big. To be b****y brilliant, but just at what we do.”

We think we might have found our soul mate.

Turn to page 45 where Simon has developed three miniature recipes to create your own summer feast, exclusively for Stories.

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

His friend eventually sold the inn. Simon became the manager of the Cornish Fishmonger (a specialist, family-run business) and then things really began to change. One day, he came across a typical bucket and spade shop in the middle of nowhere on a Cornish cove. He loved it instantly and negotiated a new lease with The National Trust. Everyone thought he was mad. Along with his partner, Jemma, he gathered a small team of incredibly talented ‘beach cooks’ and put up a chalkboard on the main road saying ‘Mackerel grill, Wednesday, 7pm’. They bought enough for 100. 140 came. They were amazed. The next week they did the same but got plenty more food (to serve 200). 250 came. And so The Hidden Hut was born.

The Hidden Hut, in a nutshell, is an unassuming ‘shack’ on Porthcurnick Beach on the Roseland Peninsula. There are between 7-10 on the team and all they do is cook delicious food. On feast nights, you bring your own plates, your own cutlery, your own drink, and people gather on huge tables, or on the sand, to eat food that is honest, hearty and wholesome, with people you know and people who you don’t. They host outdoor feasts every few weeks (the day changes each time), and they sell tickets to avoid people going away hungry like on their first two feasts. It’s now the fastest selling food event in the UK, selling out in eight seconds. Think bobble hats and flip flops, think hot water bottles and

blankets, think families, friends and neighbours, think postman sat next to mayor. There are no rules at ‘the hut’. Simon and Jemma (and now their little boy, Oscar) care only to make the best possible food, using the best possible ingredients, to get everyone together. We asked Simon whether there was one dish for which the Hut has become famous. “Our smoked haddock and bacon chowder in a big bowl with a chunk of bread. Amazing.”

There’s so much more to say about Simon, about the hut, and about the million and one other things we covered. We’ll hopefully share more with you in future volumes of Stories, because we’re sure you’ll find it fascinating. In those three hours, we watched and we listened to a man talk to us, so naturally and so earnestly, about all of the things that matter the most to us too. From family and bringing people together to doing things properly.

From celebrating local craft to not being afraid to go overseas to find the people who are the experts in their particular field, and to celebrate working together. Like us, he knows that there are plenty of others out there, doing something similar, but he wanted to do it differently, to do it better, to pick the concept apart, to take it back to basics, and to rebuild it in his own way. His big idea is much the same as ours, “I want to make what we do incredible. To be broad, but never too big. To be b****y brilliant, but just at what we do.”

We think we might have found our soul mate.

Turn to page 45 where Simon has developed three miniature recipes to create your own summer feast, exclusively for Stories.

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STORIES

BASKET CASE

Basket weaving is a craft of old. For thousands of years, people have been weaving grasses, rushes, vines and branches from their natural habitat into baskets, using them for everything from transporting goods to storing food.

And as useful as they ever are, baskets are an effective way to add texture and colour to any room.

Our pages show a sample of shades for our house-blended paint collection.

This is Limestone. Available in emulsion and eggshell paint pots.

19

STORIES

BASKET CASE

Basket weaving is a craft of old. For thousands of years, people have been weaving grasses, rushes, vines and branches from their natural habitat into baskets, using them for everything from transporting goods to storing food.

And as useful as they ever are, baskets are an effective way to add texture and colour to any room.

Our pages show a sample of shades for our house-blended paint collection.

This is Limestone. Available in emulsion and eggshell paint pots.

SUMMER 2017

“Have nothing in your house which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful,” William Morris famously said. A lover of nature and of craft, Morris would surely have approved of having baskets around the home. They come in endless shapes and sizes: every basket, from the smallest to the biggest, has a function. And once you start to use them, it’s easy to see how they can slot into your life in so many ways.

Very soon you’ll start to find roles for baskets that you’d never considered.

Using them to hold logs by the fireplace is just the beginning; let’s step back from the hearth to the hallway. If you do as the Scandinavians do, and take off your shoes as soon as you come indoors, why not keep a basket in your entryway for storing them? We think it’s a good habit to have, especially in wet weather (of course, we’re not talking about your most treasured shoes here, but rather trainers and boots for walking, and flip-flops and plimsolls for the garden). Our large Somerton console basket in sturdy rattan has been designed to fit under a bench, so you can sit down to change your shoes. Smaller baskets are also useful in hallways for holding things you need to remember on your way out, such as keys and loose change. And a mixture of differently sized baskets can come together to play host to clusters of plants. Line them, fill them, and arrange them in an empty corner for an instant indoor garden.

Medium-sized baskets make stylish alternatives to wastepaper baskets in every room. Spare loo rolls can almost become an attractive feature too when they live inside a tactile wicker basket. If cupboard storage is in short supply, try storing towels in the bathroom in a basket, perhaps rolled up tightly and sat side by side. This tip also works for bedlinen – a hamperstyle basket at the bottom of the bed keeps it within easy reach and provides a place to keep throws and extra layers for chillier nights. Or if you have a timber bed frame, use shallow baskets underneath instead, such as our large square Somerton design.

Then there’s the kitchen. In a room where it’s important to stay organised, use rectangular baskets on shelves or dressers to keep cutlery, utensils and crockery separate. You can also use them as storage for inside cabinets to keep like-things together. For tools that you use every day (think potato peelers, fruit knives and kitchen scissors), you might like to keep them next to the cooker in our round Ashcroft pot.

Baskets can be used to hide things, to show them off, or to act as decorative pieces in their own right. Weave as many different ideas into your home as you please: there’s a basket for every one.

Somerton large under console basket £62 Ashcroft magazine basket £125 Somerton medium and large log baskets £128/£152

22

SUMMER 2017

“Have nothing in your house which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful,” William Morris famously said. A lover of nature and of craft, Morris would surely have approved of having baskets around the home. They come in endless shapes and sizes: every basket, from the smallest to the biggest, has a function. And once you start to use them, it’s easy to see how they can slot into your life in so many ways.

Very soon you’ll start to find roles for baskets that you’d never considered.

Using them to hold logs by the fireplace is just the beginning; let’s step back from the hearth to the hallway. If you do as the Scandinavians do, and take off your shoes as soon as you come indoors, why not keep a basket in your entryway for storing them? We think it’s a good habit to have, especially in wet weather (of course, we’re not talking about your most treasured shoes here, but rather trainers and boots for walking, and flip-flops and plimsolls for the garden). Our large Somerton console basket in sturdy rattan has been designed to fit under a bench, so you can sit down to change your shoes. Smaller baskets are also useful in hallways for holding things you need to remember on your way out, such as keys and loose change. And a mixture of differently sized baskets can come together to play host to clusters of plants. Line them, fill them, and arrange them in an empty corner for an instant indoor garden.

Medium-sized baskets make stylish alternatives to wastepaper baskets in every room. Spare loo rolls can almost become an attractive feature too when they live inside a tactile wicker basket. If cupboard storage is in short supply, try storing towels in the bathroom in a basket, perhaps rolled up tightly and sat side by side. This tip also works for bedlinen – a hamperstyle basket at the bottom of the bed keeps it within easy reach and provides a place to keep throws and extra layers for chillier nights. Or if you have a timber bed frame, use shallow baskets underneath instead, such as our large square Somerton design.

Then there’s the kitchen. In a room where it’s important to stay organised, use rectangular baskets on shelves or dressers to keep cutlery, utensils and crockery separate. You can also use them as storage for inside cabinets to keep like-things together. For tools that you use every day (think potato peelers, fruit knives and kitchen scissors), you might like to keep them next to the cooker in our round Ashcroft pot.

Baskets can be used to hide things, to show them off, or to act as decorative pieces in their own right. Weave as many different ideas into your home as you please: there’s a basket for every one.

Somerton large under console basket £62 Ashcroft magazine basket £125 Somerton medium and large log baskets £128/£152

22

SUMMER 2017

A MIDSUMMER d ay’ s T A B L E A warm evening, best friends and delicious food; the three key ingredients for the perfect summer supper party. But for special occasions, we’re big believers in going the extra mile, incorporating elements that will make things feel genuinely special.

Touches that make the atmosphere celebratory from the moment your first guests arrive.

A fabulous display of flowers is enchanting and makes a real first impression – not to mention a conversation piece. Making this bower-like arrangement is so much easier with life-like blooms.

They’re not going to wilt, they stay where they’re put and they allow you to make everything several days in advance.

Asthall armchair £310 Arundel four-seater bench £700 Beatrice scatter cushions in Holkham Sand £48 Life-like flowers – available in-store and online Bowsley and Fenton tabletop collections – available in-store and online

24

SUMMER 2017

A MIDSUMMER d ay’ s T A B L E A warm evening, best friends and delicious food; the three key ingredients for the perfect summer supper party. But for special occasions, we’re big believers in going the extra mile, incorporating elements that will make things feel genuinely special.

Touches that make the atmosphere celebratory from the moment your first guests arrive.

A fabulous display of flowers is enchanting and makes a real first impression – not to mention a conversation piece. Making this bower-like arrangement is so much easier with life-like blooms.

They’re not going to wilt, they stay where they’re put and they allow you to make everything several days in advance.

Asthall armchair £310 Arundel four-seater bench £700 Beatrice scatter cushions in Holkham Sand £48 Life-like flowers – available in-store and online Bowsley and Fenton tabletop collections – available in-store and online

24

SUMMER 2017

Begin by dusting off an old fruit crate (you can find these at your local farm shop, greengrocers or online from places like Etsy). This will hold your stems. Next, select your flowers, bending or trimming any if necessary so that they can hang at varying lengths. Secure each one with strong masking tape, or simply hook the stems over each plank to hold them steady. If you rest your crate between two chairs while you work, it’s easier to see the cloud of flower heads gathering underneath, the effect growing as you go.

The choice of flower colours is all yours, but we love blowsy, romantic peonies within the mix. They’re a way to introduce white tones, which can then be echoed with your crockery or table linen below.

When it comes to hanging your crate, exposed timber beams are a definite bonus, but you can also screw hooks into a ceiling joist rather discreetly.

Fasten the crate with lengths of skinny-but-strong rope or wide ribbon and adjust the height until you’re happy with the effect before securing firmly.

Now you’ve set the tone, your tableware and linen can carry on the theme. The papery white of flower petals can be matched by a tablecloth such as

our Emily linen (fold it over a few times to create a runner if you’d rather) while pastel shades can be matched by Emily napkins, or Antonia with fringing as soft as frondy foliage. And don’t stop there. With florals as your theme, extend them into more creative elements like ice cubes – we used a mixture of borages, miniature roses, yellow pansies, phlox flowers and bellis daises from the edible flower experts, Maddocks Farm Organics. Or scatter a few plucked petals along your table’s length.

As for furniture, it feels right to leave a timber table partially uncovered for a summer supper. It recalls the original country-style trestles and benches and conjures up images of harvests and fruit-picking.

Benches immediately feel sociable and relaxed, but you can make them extra comfortable with softest sheepskins or plump cushions.

Finally, think about your lighting. Summer’s last rays of sunshine will linger until early evening, but have some candles at the ready for when the light begins to fade (don’t forget citronella candles are expert at keeping bugs at bay). Their fluttery, flattering glow will help see you through to the end of a dreamy summer’s evening.

Mayfair Martini glasses set of two £23 Mayfair low ball glasses set of six £39

26

SUMMER 2017

Begin by dusting off an old fruit crate (you can find these at your local farm shop, greengrocers or online from places like Etsy). This will hold your stems. Next, select your flowers, bending or trimming any if necessary so that they can hang at varying lengths. Secure each one with strong masking tape, or simply hook the stems over each plank to hold them steady. If you rest your crate between two chairs while you work, it’s easier to see the cloud of flower heads gathering underneath, the effect growing as you go.

The choice of flower colours is all yours, but we love blowsy, romantic peonies within the mix. They’re a way to introduce white tones, which can then be echoed with your crockery or table linen below.

When it comes to hanging your crate, exposed timber beams are a definite bonus, but you can also screw hooks into a ceiling joist rather discreetly.

Fasten the crate with lengths of skinny-but-strong rope or wide ribbon and adjust the height until you’re happy with the effect before securing firmly.

Now you’ve set the tone, your tableware and linen can carry on the theme. The papery white of flower petals can be matched by a tablecloth such as

our Emily linen (fold it over a few times to create a runner if you’d rather) while pastel shades can be matched by Emily napkins, or Antonia with fringing as soft as frondy foliage. And don’t stop there. With florals as your theme, extend them into more creative elements like ice cubes – we used a mixture of borages, miniature roses, yellow pansies, phlox flowers and bellis daises from the edible flower experts, Maddocks Farm Organics. Or scatter a few plucked petals along your table’s length.

As for furniture, it feels right to leave a timber table partially uncovered for a summer supper. It recalls the original country-style trestles and benches and conjures up images of harvests and fruit-picking.

Benches immediately feel sociable and relaxed, but you can make them extra comfortable with softest sheepskins or plump cushions.

Finally, think about your lighting. Summer’s last rays of sunshine will linger until early evening, but have some candles at the ready for when the light begins to fade (don’t forget citronella candles are expert at keeping bugs at bay). Their fluttery, flattering glow will help see you through to the end of a dreamy summer’s evening.

Mayfair Martini glasses set of two £23 Mayfair low ball glasses set of six £39

26

SUMMER 2017

Happy Birthday Neptune Neptune has come a long way since it was founded 21 years ago. To celebrate this special anniversary, we take a look at 21 products, people and places integral to the journey.

All grown up This year, this July in fact, we turn 21. And to commemorate the occasion, House & Garden’s David Nicholls wrote a 21st-birthday article for us in the magazine’s June edition. For those of you who missed it, here’s an edited version, just for Stories.

The traditional gift for a 21st-birthday is the key to the front door, something that is seen as a sign of earned trust and responsibility. It seems an appropriate image to bear in mind as Neptune turns 21, because trust and a sense of responsibility are values that Neptune holds dear. People have long opened up their homes to the fruits of Neptune’s labour. Why? That question was the starting point for this celebration of Neptune’s 21st anniversary. The following pages trace the highlights of its formative years and standout creations; the inspiration behind the design; and ask, what is the DNA of a brand with such an instantly identifiable signature look? Read on to find out…

No. 1

No. 2

First things first, here’s where it all began Neptune’s very first product – the hammock.

Made around a kitchen table, stitched with careful hands, a trusty sewing machine and a large dose of optimism. Not a lot has changed in the last 21 years.

Within its first year, more than 5,500 hammocks were sold and it was stocked in Harrods.

Into the garden The hammock led to Neptune setting its sights on the great outdoors, with products embracing al fresco dining, from large family dining tables for supper parties under a sky full of stars, to neat solutions – such as the ‘Provence’ and ‘Asthall’ tea for two sets – perfect for a city balcony or small section of a sprawling garden.

Suffolk kitchen and dining collections hand-painted in Cactus

28

SUMMER 2017

Happy Birthday Neptune Neptune has come a long way since it was founded 21 years ago. To celebrate this special anniversary, we take a look at 21 products, people and places integral to the journey.

All grown up This year, this July in fact, we turn 21. And to commemorate the occasion, House & Garden’s David Nicholls wrote a 21st-birthday article for us in the magazine’s June edition. For those of you who missed it, here’s an edited version, just for Stories.

The traditional gift for a 21st-birthday is the key to the front door, something that is seen as a sign of earned trust and responsibility. It seems an appropriate image to bear in mind as Neptune turns 21, because trust and a sense of responsibility are values that Neptune holds dear. People have long opened up their homes to the fruits of Neptune’s labour. Why? That question was the starting point for this celebration of Neptune’s 21st anniversary. The following pages trace the highlights of its formative years and standout creations; the inspiration behind the design; and ask, what is the DNA of a brand with such an instantly identifiable signature look? Read on to find out…

No. 1

No. 2

First things first, here’s where it all began Neptune’s very first product – the hammock.

Made around a kitchen table, stitched with careful hands, a trusty sewing machine and a large dose of optimism. Not a lot has changed in the last 21 years.

Within its first year, more than 5,500 hammocks were sold and it was stocked in Harrods.

Into the garden The hammock led to Neptune setting its sights on the great outdoors, with products embracing al fresco dining, from large family dining tables for supper parties under a sky full of stars, to neat solutions – such as the ‘Provence’ and ‘Asthall’ tea for two sets – perfect for a city balcony or small section of a sprawling garden.

Suffolk kitchen and dining collections hand-painted in Cactus

28

29

STORIES

After the garden, it didn’t take long for Neptune to broaden its focus and channel its energy to inside the house, tackling bathrooms, upholstery and furniture for in-between spaces like hallways and landings.

It’s fair to say that kitchens are now the area for which Neptune has become best known. Today, it offers four kitchen design families: Chichester, Suffolk, Henley and Limehouse.

No. 3

No. 4

Family values The Chichester was Neptune’s first design family, and included pieces for throughout the home. It seems to express what Neptune is really about: classic English style and refined elegance. The Chichester dresser, one of their first free-standing interior pieces, gradually evolved into Neptune’s debut kitchen collection.

Classic with a twist It’s not easy to improve on perfection, but the stately, and already lovely, Henley kitchen has just had a revamp that includes more than 1,000 updates to advance existing cabinetry. New pieces to the collection have also been added, such as the Black-Bronze hardware and sultry, matte black worktop.

No. 5

No. 6

Got it covered A clever use of textiles – where colours, textures and patterns are combined – is one of the ways Neptune creates a cohesive look in a room. Their layering technique gives the space a feeling of having evolved over time.

A sense of individuality While Neptune has a strong signature look, the scope of its collections and accessories also allows for a real sense of personal style. You like the rustic Bowsley plates and the prettily patterned Winsford series?

Then team them together for an individual feel.

No. 7

No. 8

Details, details Tradition and innovation combine in Neptune’s Limehouse larder, with its four tiers of storage and a dual-door folding system.

Its manufacture is hugely technical: more than 30 processes go into the creation of a single, beautiful door. As they say, it’s all in the detail.

Inspiration The creative team at Neptune are always on the lookout for interesting ideas that can inspire a new design. The story goes that the Suffolk kitchen was inspired by a beautiful old English chair that Neptune’s creative director found and fell in love with. It developed into a Shaker-style kitchen that has also become one of its most popular styles.

Arundel eight-seater dining table £1,960 Arundel three-seater bench £600 Keats large pendant light in Snow £94 Bowsley medium jug £17

No. 9 Come together The best times are spent around a kitchen table with family and friends – and flexible solutions help accommodate for different occasions.

That’s why soon after launch, the extendable Sheldrake table, with its slim profile and elegant legs, became a Neptune kitchen icon.

29

STORIES

After the garden, it didn’t take long for Neptune to broaden its focus and channel its energy to inside the house, tackling bathrooms, upholstery and furniture for in-between spaces like hallways and landings.

It’s fair to say that kitchens are now the area for which Neptune has become best known. Today, it offers four kitchen design families: Chichester, Suffolk, Henley and Limehouse.

No. 3

No. 4

Family values The Chichester was Neptune’s first design family, and included pieces for throughout the home. It seems to express what Neptune is really about: classic English style and refined elegance. The Chichester dresser, one of their first free-standing interior pieces, gradually evolved into Neptune’s debut kitchen collection.

Classic with a twist It’s not easy to improve on perfection, but the stately, and already lovely, Henley kitchen has just had a revamp that includes more than 1,000 updates to advance existing cabinetry. New pieces to the collection have also been added, such as the Black-Bronze hardware and sultry, matte black worktop.

No. 5

No. 6

Got it covered A clever use of textiles – where colours, textures and patterns are combined – is one of the ways Neptune creates a cohesive look in a room. Their layering technique gives the space a feeling of having evolved over time.

A sense of individuality While Neptune has a strong signature look, the scope of its collections and accessories also allows for a real sense of personal style. You like the rustic Bowsley plates and the prettily patterned Winsford series?

Then team them together for an individual feel.

No. 7

No. 8

Details, details Tradition and innovation combine in Neptune’s Limehouse larder, with its four tiers of storage and a dual-door folding system.

Its manufacture is hugely technical: more than 30 processes go into the creation of a single, beautiful door. As they say, it’s all in the detail.

Inspiration The creative team at Neptune are always on the lookout for interesting ideas that can inspire a new design. The story goes that the Suffolk kitchen was inspired by a beautiful old English chair that Neptune’s creative director found and fell in love with. It developed into a Shaker-style kitchen that has also become one of its most popular styles.

Arundel eight-seater dining table £1,960 Arundel three-seater bench £600 Keats large pendant light in Snow £94 Bowsley medium jug £17

No. 9 Come together The best times are spent around a kitchen table with family and friends – and flexible solutions help accommodate for different occasions.

That’s why soon after launch, the extendable Sheldrake table, with its slim profile and elegant legs, became a Neptune kitchen icon.

Olivia medium sofa in Emma Sage £2,450

No. 10 Pleased to be seated Neptune has more than seven sofa and armchair collections and over 40 fabric choices, with new options added each season. Contemporary, classic, tailored to your own taste – this is what upholstered furniture means at Neptune.

Laura scatter cushion in Isla Mallard or Isla Finch £72 Madeleine chair in Isla Mallard £400 George medium sofa in Isla Mallard £1,780 Carter nest of tables £670 Arundel console table £820 Edinburgh small mirror £365 Tolsey plaid small rug in Off-white £415

Olivia medium sofa in Emma Sage £2,450

No. 10 Pleased to be seated Neptune has more than seven sofa and armchair collections and over 40 fabric choices, with new options added each season. Contemporary, classic, tailored to your own taste – this is what upholstered furniture means at Neptune.

Laura scatter cushion in Isla Mallard or Isla Finch £72 Madeleine chair in Isla Mallard £400 George medium sofa in Isla Mallard £1,780 Carter nest of tables £670 Arundel console table £820 Edinburgh small mirror £365 Tolsey plaid small rug in Off-white £415

SUMMER 2017

As Neptune grew, so did its remit. It created ‘design families’ – collections of products for all over the house. Today it’s hard to think of a part of the home that Neptune doesn’t have covered.

No. 11 Sweet dreams Airy spaces, a simple backdrop, gentle pops of accent colours and a mixture of woven, pleated and knotted textures to please the senses. Neptune has become an expert in creating the environment for a good night’s sleep.

It’s Chichester bedstead is a case in point.

No. 12

No. 13

Soft modern More recently, Neptune has developed a range of designs that have a sharper, more contemporary feel. A case in point is the Carter collection which teams powder-coated metal frames with solid oak tops. Such pieces add interesting layers to an interior.

Cleanse and tone When a company becomes known for creating spaces that are calm and quiet, understated and elegant, you know they will excel when turning their hand to creating bathrooms.

The Chichester washstand with Carrara marble top captures Neptune’s signature grace.

No. 14

No. 15

Foreign affairs Although classic English is very much Neptune’s guiding inspiration, look closely and you will also see hints of influence from some of the world’s other great design aesthetics. The Larsson bedroom collection is the perfect example of Swedish refinement combined with English style, and so is the Lavenham mirror, which has a slight Gustavian flavour.

As you like it Printed and plain linens, wool and velvet, all in myriad shades and patterns, comprise Neptune’s fabric-by-the-metre collection, launched to give customers freedom to create their own interior. Buy a coordinating fabric to match a Neptune piece or to recover an existing item of furniture.

Neptune understands that intuitive and clever design can transform people’s lives.

Accessories have become a huge part of the Neptune story: furniture gives our homes a framework but accessories are what make a room feel lived-in and loved.

No. 16

No. 17

Perfect palette Neptune’s idea of creating a ‘whole home’ collection evolved into the development of an edited paint palette. The colours started out pared-back and muted, but now include bolder shades as part of the seasonal collections. There are 28 colours, from neutrals to navy via Pink Peppercorn and Sage – Neptune’s seasonal shade for its spring/summer collection.

Up close and personal Wander around any of Neptune’s stores and you walk from living rooms to kitchens, and bathrooms into bedrooms. They’re styled like real homes, allowing you to get up close and explore – to find inspiration.

Olivia double headboard in Emma Sage £610 Florence scatter cushion in Isla Mallard £47 Camilla scatter cushion in Isla Mallard and Emma Sage £60 Fitzroy large lampstand £125 with Lucile 15" lampshade in Lara Sage £70 Whytock rug £570

34

SUMMER 2017

As Neptune grew, so did its remit. It created ‘design families’ – collections of products for all over the house. Today it’s hard to think of a part of the home that Neptune doesn’t have covered.

No. 11 Sweet dreams Airy spaces, a simple backdrop, gentle pops of accent colours and a mixture of woven, pleated and knotted textures to please the senses. Neptune has become an expert in creating the environment for a good night’s sleep.

It’s Chichester bedstead is a case in point.

No. 12

No. 13

Soft modern More recently, Neptune has developed a range of designs that have a sharper, more contemporary feel. A case in point is the Carter collection which teams powder-coated metal frames with solid oak tops. Such pieces add interesting layers to an interior.

Cleanse and tone When a company becomes known for creating spaces that are calm and quiet, understated and elegant, you know they will excel when turning their hand to creating bathrooms.

The Chichester washstand with Carrara marble top captures Neptune’s signature grace.

No. 14

No. 15

Foreign affairs Although classic English is very much Neptune’s guiding inspiration, look closely and you will also see hints of influence from some of the world’s other great design aesthetics. The Larsson bedroom collection is the perfect example of Swedish refinement combined with English style, and so is the Lavenham mirror, which has a slight Gustavian flavour.

As you like it Printed and plain linens, wool and velvet, all in myriad shades and patterns, comprise Neptune’s fabric-by-the-metre collection, launched to give customers freedom to create their own interior. Buy a coordinating fabric to match a Neptune piece or to recover an existing item of furniture.

Neptune understands that intuitive and clever design can transform people’s lives.

Accessories have become a huge part of the Neptune story: furniture gives our homes a framework but accessories are what make a room feel lived-in and loved.

No. 16

No. 17

Perfect palette Neptune’s idea of creating a ‘whole home’ collection evolved into the development of an edited paint palette. The colours started out pared-back and muted, but now include bolder shades as part of the seasonal collections. There are 28 colours, from neutrals to navy via Pink Peppercorn and Sage – Neptune’s seasonal shade for its spring/summer collection.

Up close and personal Wander around any of Neptune’s stores and you walk from living rooms to kitchens, and bathrooms into bedrooms. They’re styled like real homes, allowing you to get up close and explore – to find inspiration.

Olivia double headboard in Emma Sage £610 Florence scatter cushion in Isla Mallard £47 Camilla scatter cushion in Isla Mallard and Emma Sage £60 Fitzroy large lampstand £125 with Lucile 15" lampshade in Lara Sage £70 Whytock rug £570

34

35

STORIES

No. 18

No. 19

Nuts and bolts Neptune founders John and Giles, said from day one that they wanted to make furniture that was “as safe as boats, not houses.” That’s why all of Neptune’s kitchens and furniture is made from solid wood, just as it has been for cabinetmakers – and boat makers – for generations. You won’t find any MDF or chipboard. Wood is an integral strand of the company’s DNA. What’s not to love about that? Solid wood has timeless quality, an innate sense of longevity, and can be applied to designs that are classic and incredibly modern.

In bloom Neptune has helped dispel the odd myth as well. Life-like flowers? Why not, when they are this convincing. In fact, being hand painted, they’re works of art in themselves.

The point is, something beautiful can jolly up more than just a room – it can do the same for the people who inhabit it. Most recently, Neptune have also added potted succulents and an olive tree to the collection which are every bit as convincing.

No. 20

No. 21

Mood enhancers The power of good lighting is something that should never be underestimated.

But even better if it is also good-looking lighting.

Neptune caught on to this idea early, and has created and grown a collection of lights to suit the needs – and look – of every room in the house.

Going forward Neptune was founded by John Sims-Hilditch and Giles Redman who came up with the idea for the garden hammock. John’s wife Emma Sims-Hilditch, now the creative director, made the first sample. They’re all just as involved today – and busy planning tomorrow for Neptune.

DAVID NICHOLLS is features director at House & Garden, the magazine that showcases some of the finest examples of international design and decoration from around the world.

Suffolk dining chairs in Natural Oak £270 and hand-painted £295

35

STORIES

No. 18

No. 19

Nuts and bolts Neptune founders John and Giles, said from day one that they wanted to make furniture that was “as safe as boats, not houses.” That’s why all of Neptune’s kitchens and furniture is made from solid wood, just as it has been for cabinetmakers – and boat makers – for generations. You won’t find any MDF or chipboard. Wood is an integral strand of the company’s DNA. What’s not to love about that? Solid wood has timeless quality, an innate sense of longevity, and can be applied to designs that are classic and incredibly modern.

In bloom Neptune has helped dispel the odd myth as well. Life-like flowers? Why not, when they are this convincing. In fact, being hand painted, they’re works of art in themselves.

The point is, something beautiful can jolly up more than just a room – it can do the same for the people who inhabit it. Most recently, Neptune have also added potted succulents and an olive tree to the collection which are every bit as convincing.

No. 20

No. 21

Mood enhancers The power of good lighting is something that should never be underestimated.

But even better if it is also good-looking lighting.

Neptune caught on to this idea early, and has created and grown a collection of lights to suit the needs – and look – of every room in the house.

Going forward Neptune was founded by John Sims-Hilditch and Giles Redman who came up with the idea for the garden hammock. John’s wife Emma Sims-Hilditch, now the creative director, made the first sample. They’re all just as involved today – and busy planning tomorrow for Neptune.

DAVID NICHOLLS is features director at House & Garden, the magazine that showcases some of the finest examples of international design and decoration from around the world.

Suffolk dining chairs in Natural Oak £270 and hand-painted £295

37

STORIES

SUMMER 2017

T HE BE ST SE AT in t he

HOUSE Before we started creating our own sofas and armchairs, John (one of our founders) went on an upholstery course so that he could begin to learn, first-hand, what good craftsmanship really looks like. He bought an antique, drop-arm sofa that was, in his words, “completely worn-out”, but he loved its bone structure and its innate sense of style. On Tuesday and Thursday evenings he would attend his upholstery course in Badminton, where he was taught how to restore and renew his veteran sofa, from the springs to the roping to the fillings. It was a course that proved to be invaluable.

In everything we do, we like to have a clear point (or two) of differentiation. We’re not trying to be different for the sake of saying so, but we like to make our own footprints in the sand rather than treading in those of others. That’s why you’ll read more and more about the ‘why?’ behind our designs.

Why exactly is it different? Special? Why exactly will it make a difference to your life?

Back to sofas.

NEPTUNE.COM

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SUMMER 2017

T HE BE ST SE AT in t he

HOUSE Before we started creating our own sofas and armchairs, John (one of our founders) went on an upholstery course so that he could begin to learn, first-hand, what good craftsmanship really looks like. He bought an antique, drop-arm sofa that was, in his words, “completely worn-out”, but he loved its bone structure and its innate sense of style. On Tuesday and Thursday evenings he would attend his upholstery course in Badminton, where he was taught how to restore and renew his veteran sofa, from the springs to the roping to the fillings. It was a course that proved to be invaluable.

In everything we do, we like to have a clear point (or two) of differentiation. We’re not trying to be different for the sake of saying so, but we like to make our own footprints in the sand rather than treading in those of others. That’s why you’ll read more and more about the ‘why?’ behind our designs.

Why exactly is it different? Special? Why exactly will it make a difference to your life?

Back to sofas.

NEPTUNE.COM

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SUMMER 2017

The reason behind John’s upholstery classes was because the first sofa he ever bought for his family’s home was good, but not great. It looked nice. It was quite comfy. But he wanted to understand the steps that would lead him to ‘special’.

The difference between that first shop-bought sofa and his old-becomes-new, hand-made sofa was enormous. John came to realise and appreciate the skill behind a properly-made piece of upholstery, and what truly makes a sofa tick.

It all comes back to the adage ‘it’s what’s on the inside that counts’. Style matters, but it’s the internal construction that makes an upholstered item really sing. We found that the ‘sofa situation’ was much the same as the one with kitchens – people were being shown a perfectly pretty picture on the outside, but the inside was a different story. We wanted to change that.

Two years of research showed us just how bad things on the inside could be. Sometimes frames would be unfinished, or they’d be a mixture of cardboard, staples and MDF. But our background was in garden furniture – and in garden furniture every joint is visible because the wood is entirely exposed. It meant that our approach to sofa-making was always going to be different. The state of how many sofas were currently being built made us even more certain of that. This is how the little piggy who used twigs should have done things…

George large sofa in Imogen Blakeney Blue £2,040 Brompton floor lamp £390 Byron large pendant light in Snow £145 Paris Rue de Seine print £95

40

SUMMER 2017

The reason behind John’s upholstery classes was because the first sofa he ever bought for his family’s home was good, but not great. It looked nice. It was quite comfy. But he wanted to understand the steps that would lead him to ‘special’.

The difference between that first shop-bought sofa and his old-becomes-new, hand-made sofa was enormous. John came to realise and appreciate the skill behind a properly-made piece of upholstery, and what truly makes a sofa tick.

It all comes back to the adage ‘it’s what’s on the inside that counts’. Style matters, but it’s the internal construction that makes an upholstered item really sing. We found that the ‘sofa situation’ was much the same as the one with kitchens – people were being shown a perfectly pretty picture on the outside, but the inside was a different story. We wanted to change that.

Two years of research showed us just how bad things on the inside could be. Sometimes frames would be unfinished, or they’d be a mixture of cardboard, staples and MDF. But our background was in garden furniture – and in garden furniture every joint is visible because the wood is entirely exposed. It meant that our approach to sofa-making was always going to be different. The state of how many sofas were currently being built made us even more certain of that. This is how the little piggy who used twigs should have done things…

George large sofa in Imogen Blakeney Blue £2,040 Brompton floor lamp £390 Byron large pendant light in Snow £145 Paris Rue de Seine print £95

40

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

We always start with the frame. We believe that just because something isn’t visible, it doesn’t mean it should be any less attractive to look at. We opted for tulipwood – it’s incredibly strong and reliable, but less expensive than oak, which was an important consideration as we didn’t want our seating to cost an arm and a leg. The frame is a quality piece of furniture in its own right. We even have exposed armchair frames in most of our stores so that you can see for yourself the proper jointing and construction, and hopefully feel the care that goes into each and every one.

Then we move onto the design details. There’s an awful lot to consider: the style, the shape, the rake, the pitch, and so forth. Our collection has a number of different characters so there’s a spectrum in terms of style, from the clean and contemporary Shoreditch to the more classic, Chesterfield-inspired Charlotte; and a span in sizes too to accommodate spaces little and large.

But perhaps the most complex aspect of the design is the ergonomics. Most sofas have flat bases, but they don’t necessarily spell out comfort. You need to have just the right amount of support under the knee, the right amount of depth to curl up on, the right knee to floor height and just the right degree of recline. These functional areas then affect proportions. Trying to balance function, form, fit and feel really isn’t easy.

William armchair in Hugo Buckwheat £700

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

We always start with the frame. We believe that just because something isn’t visible, it doesn’t mean it should be any less attractive to look at. We opted for tulipwood – it’s incredibly strong and reliable, but less expensive than oak, which was an important consideration as we didn’t want our seating to cost an arm and a leg. The frame is a quality piece of furniture in its own right. We even have exposed armchair frames in most of our stores so that you can see for yourself the proper jointing and construction, and hopefully feel the care that goes into each and every one.

Then we move onto the design details. There’s an awful lot to consider: the style, the shape, the rake, the pitch, and so forth. Our collection has a number of different characters so there’s a spectrum in terms of style, from the clean and contemporary Shoreditch to the more classic, Chesterfield-inspired Charlotte; and a span in sizes too to accommodate spaces little and large.

But perhaps the most complex aspect of the design is the ergonomics. Most sofas have flat bases, but they don’t necessarily spell out comfort. You need to have just the right amount of support under the knee, the right amount of depth to curl up on, the right knee to floor height and just the right degree of recline. These functional areas then affect proportions. Trying to balance function, form, fit and feel really isn’t easy.

William armchair in Hugo Buckwheat £700

42

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STORIES

Life.

When the frame is beautifully built and the design carefully considered and constructed, we move onto cushion fillings and springs. The cushion density has to suit the character of that particular chair. We use a combination of foam, fibre, duck feathers and down (for extra loftiness), because none of them are quite sufficient on their own. You want to sink into your sofa, but you don’t want to feel like you need to be constantly plumping. Sofa cushions need to bring together comfort, shape and rebound.

Each chair is designed with a different filling ratio.

Consider George, a sleek, architectural sofa whose cushions need to be less-domed, unlike Eva whose classic shape very much requires a pillowy silhouette.

As for the springs, we favour the more modern alternative to the coil spring: serpentine springs.

They’re wonderful because they don’t sag, but most manufacturers avoid them as they can damage the frame. Our solid timber frames mean that we’re able to use the best possible springs for the job. Some sofas use pocket springs (most commonly used for mattresses because of their ability to evenly distribute

weight) but we find serpentine to be far comfier, far more practical and they can play the long game.

And we should know – we test every one of our armchairs and sofas in our own homes. We give them all that we’ve got, to see just how much they can take. John has had the Eva sofa in his family home from the moment it was first made. We let our product testing span years, so we can watch how our designs mature, and how we can help them to be at their best for as long as possible.

In a few pages’ time, there’s an article on timelessness and how we build to last. This is almost a bit of a prelude. We’ve designed upholstery with frames that will endure. So even when the fabric begins to tire, and eventually, when the fillings need a bit of a pick-me-up, you can take your piece – be it a sofa, an armchair or footstool – to a re-upholsterer and they can do just as John did – re-fill the cushions and re-cover the body with a new choice of textile. And when you do, we’d love to think that the upholsterer will tell you that the investment you made was a wise one.

Amelia armchair in Emma Dove £720 PAGE 44 Corinium 40cm serving platter £38 Emily napkins in Peat set of six £35 Antonia napkins in Sage set of six £44 Handsworth cutlery in Salt £68

G OOD FOOD. G OOD M USIC .

A ND A GOOD BOOK.

Three of life’s loveliest pleasures.

43

STORIES

Life.

When the frame is beautifully built and the design carefully considered and constructed, we move onto cushion fillings and springs. The cushion density has to suit the character of that particular chair. We use a combination of foam, fibre, duck feathers and down (for extra loftiness), because none of them are quite sufficient on their own. You want to sink into your sofa, but you don’t want to feel like you need to be constantly plumping. Sofa cushions need to bring together comfort, shape and rebound.

Each chair is designed with a different filling ratio.

Consider George, a sleek, architectural sofa whose cushions need to be less-domed, unlike Eva whose classic shape very much requires a pillowy silhouette.

As for the springs, we favour the more modern alternative to the coil spring: serpentine springs.

They’re wonderful because they don’t sag, but most manufacturers avoid them as they can damage the frame. Our solid timber frames mean that we’re able to use the best possible springs for the job. Some sofas use pocket springs (most commonly used for mattresses because of their ability to evenly distribute

weight) but we find serpentine to be far comfier, far more practical and they can play the long game.

And we should know – we test every one of our armchairs and sofas in our own homes. We give them all that we’ve got, to see just how much they can take. John has had the Eva sofa in his family home from the moment it was first made. We let our product testing span years, so we can watch how our designs mature, and how we can help them to be at their best for as long as possible.

In a few pages’ time, there’s an article on timelessness and how we build to last. This is almost a bit of a prelude. We’ve designed upholstery with frames that will endure. So even when the fabric begins to tire, and eventually, when the fillings need a bit of a pick-me-up, you can take your piece – be it a sofa, an armchair or footstool – to a re-upholsterer and they can do just as John did – re-fill the cushions and re-cover the body with a new choice of textile. And when you do, we’d love to think that the upholsterer will tell you that the investment you made was a wise one.

Amelia armchair in Emma Dove £720 PAGE 44 Corinium 40cm serving platter £38 Emily napkins in Peat set of six £35 Antonia napkins in Sage set of six £44 Handsworth cutlery in Salt £68

G OOD FOOD. G OOD M USIC .

A ND A GOOD BOOK.

Three of life’s loveliest pleasures.

45

STORIES

In the kitchen Cast your mind back to page 13. You’ll hopefully recall an article about a chap called Simon Stallard and his beach-shack, good-food centric, Cornish hideaway ‘The Hidden Hut’.

During that lunch with Simon back in March, he offered to write us a recipe for the food section of Stories, and that was a conversation we were certainly not going to forget.

Simon has put together three scrumptiously simple mini meals that come together to form a summertime feast. (Four if you include his aioli recipe, which is good enough to eat all by itself). He sees them as being perfect for a great supper outside on the barbecue, or if the weather turns, bring them inside to enjoy on your kitchen table.

The key, Simon told us, is “to allow the mackerel to colour so that the skin crisps up to give a real smoky flavour.” Serve it alongside his version of a summer-green salad and new season roasted potatoes.

Scrum-diddly-umptious.

Our pages show a sample of shades for our house-blended paint collection.

This is Powder Blue. Available in emulsion and eggshell paint pots.

45

STORIES

In the kitchen Cast your mind back to page 13. You’ll hopefully recall an article about a chap called Simon Stallard and his beach-shack, good-food centric, Cornish hideaway ‘The Hidden Hut’.

During that lunch with Simon back in March, he offered to write us a recipe for the food section of Stories, and that was a conversation we were certainly not going to forget.

Simon has put together three scrumptiously simple mini meals that come together to form a summertime feast. (Four if you include his aioli recipe, which is good enough to eat all by itself). He sees them as being perfect for a great supper outside on the barbecue, or if the weather turns, bring them inside to enjoy on your kitchen table.

The key, Simon told us, is “to allow the mackerel to colour so that the skin crisps up to give a real smoky flavour.” Serve it alongside his version of a summer-green salad and new season roasted potatoes.

Scrum-diddly-umptious.

Our pages show a sample of shades for our house-blended paint collection.

This is Powder Blue. Available in emulsion and eggshell paint pots.

SUMMER 2017

Let’s feast SERV E S 4

Charred day-boat mackerel Simon called this dish ‘day boat’ after the nature of how it’s caught – small boats, out at sea one day at a time to ensure incredible freshness. Also, their hook-and-line method means the fish are in pristine condition when they’re brought in.

W H AT YOU’LL NEED 4 mackerel whole 2 lemons sliced thickly Olive oil for rubbing A light olive oil or vegetable oil can withstand high heat without burning.

Extra virgin olive oil on the other hand is far better for finishing.

W H AT TO DO 1 If you’re good with preparing fish, start by gutting and trimming the mackerel and then remove the heads. Or, ask your fishmonger to do this for you. (Be sure to leave the tails on).

2 Heavily score the skin on one side with a sharp knife.

3 Next, rub olive oil all over each fish and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

4 Heat a skillet or barbecue until it’s piping hot and add the fish to the grill, scored side down.

Cook for three minutes on one side until blackened and then turn over each fish to cook for another 90 seconds on the other side.

5 Remove the mackerel and leave them to rest.

Now add the lemons to the grill, cooking them until they caramelise and they too begin to blacken.

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SUMMER 2017

Let’s feast SERV E S 4

Charred day-boat mackerel Simon called this dish ‘day boat’ after the nature of how it’s caught – small boats, out at sea one day at a time to ensure incredible freshness. Also, their hook-and-line method means the fish are in pristine condition when they’re brought in.

W H AT YOU’LL NEED 4 mackerel whole 2 lemons sliced thickly Olive oil for rubbing A light olive oil or vegetable oil can withstand high heat without burning.

Extra virgin olive oil on the other hand is far better for finishing.

W H AT TO DO 1 If you’re good with preparing fish, start by gutting and trimming the mackerel and then remove the heads. Or, ask your fishmonger to do this for you. (Be sure to leave the tails on).

2 Heavily score the skin on one side with a sharp knife.

3 Next, rub olive oil all over each fish and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

4 Heat a skillet or barbecue until it’s piping hot and add the fish to the grill, scored side down.

Cook for three minutes on one side until blackened and then turn over each fish to cook for another 90 seconds on the other side.

5 Remove the mackerel and leave them to rest.

Now add the lemons to the grill, cooking them until they caramelise and they too begin to blacken.

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STORIES

Cucumber and fennel slaw “This light and sweet, crisp and sour, green mix gives a summer freshness with a Scandinavian feel thanks to the dill. It’s great with all oily fish.”

Simon Stallard

W H AT YOU’LL NEED 2 cucumbers 1 fennel head 1 green apple skin left on 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice ¼ tsp flaked sea salt ¼ tsp caster sugar ¼ tsp nigella seeds Large handful of fresh dill roughly chopped

W H AT TO DO 1 Using a vegetable peeler, ribbon the cucumbers and place into a serving bowl. Simon discards the seedy middle as its high-water content can make your salad wet rather than crisp.

2 With a mandolin, finely slice the fennel and apple and drop them into your serving bowl with the cucumber.

3 In a separate, smaller bowl, combine the lemon juice, oil, salt and sugar, giving it a quick stir to mix.

4 Drizzle the dressing over your slaw and then tip in the chopped dill and nigella seeds before tossing together so it’s ready to serve.

49

STORIES

Cucumber and fennel slaw “This light and sweet, crisp and sour, green mix gives a summer freshness with a Scandinavian feel thanks to the dill. It’s great with all oily fish.”

Simon Stallard

W H AT YOU’LL NEED 2 cucumbers 1 fennel head 1 green apple skin left on 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice ¼ tsp flaked sea salt ¼ tsp caster sugar ¼ tsp nigella seeds Large handful of fresh dill roughly chopped

W H AT TO DO 1 Using a vegetable peeler, ribbon the cucumbers and place into a serving bowl. Simon discards the seedy middle as its high-water content can make your salad wet rather than crisp.

2 With a mandolin, finely slice the fennel and apple and drop them into your serving bowl with the cucumber.

3 In a separate, smaller bowl, combine the lemon juice, oil, salt and sugar, giving it a quick stir to mix.

4 Drizzle the dressing over your slaw and then tip in the chopped dill and nigella seeds before tossing together so it’s ready to serve.

51

STORIES

Warm lemon potato salad

W H AT TO DO

At the start of summer, the early ‘new season’ potatoes are small, waxy, and tremendously tasty. There are lots of different types but the “Rolls Royce” as Simon put it, are Jersey Royals.

Although Pink Firs are also a good choice for this hot potato dish.

1 Put the potatoes into a pan of cold, salted water and bring to the boil. Allow them to simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender.

2 While the potatoes are cooking, zest the lemon by using a potato peeler so you have long ribbons.

3 Drain the potatoes and leave them to cool.

W H AT YOU’LL NEED 400g new potatoes sliced lengthways 25g butter salted 1 tbsp olive oil 1 lemon zested

4 Heat a large frying pan and add the olive oil to sauté the potatoes. When they turn a lovely golden colour, take them off the heat and add the butter and lemon zest ribbons to the pan.

Leave the mixture to stand for a few minutes so the zest releases its oils.

Fresh aioli

W H AT TO DO

The first part of this recipe creates a simple mayonnaise that you can use again and again instead of the shop-bought variety. Because it’s a fresh egg-based product, it should be kept refrigerated and used within three days.

This only makes a small quantity though so you can make it little and often.

1 Using a blender, blitz the egg yolk and lemon juice for 30 seconds.

W H AT YOU’LL NEED

3 Grind the garlic with the salt in a pestle and mortar until it’s puréed into a paste and stir it into your mayonnaise.

70ml virgin olive oil 50ml vegetable oil 3 garlic cloves plump ones 1 egg yolk 1 lemon juiced ¼ tsp flaked sea salt

2 Add the oil, very slowly, while it’s still mixing, until it’s all been added and then immediately stop blending to prevent the mixture from splitting. At this point, you have your home-made mayonnaise.

Here, virgin olive oil is your best option.

Normal olive oil isn’t quite tasty enough and extra virgin will turn your aioli green and can slightly mask the garlic.

Why mackerel?

Mackerel is one of the best Cornish seafood choices.

It’s sustainable and it’s good for you. Cornwall’s hand-line-caught mackerel is pretty hard to beat. Industrial fishing is banned in Cornish waters; instead traditional small-scale fishing boats target mackerel with simple hand-lines, which are a selective and lowimpact alternative that produces the finest quality yield.

Notes from the Cornwall Seafood Guide

A tip or two You can prepare everything fresh on the day. If you want to do it all at the same time, this is the best order to do it in: boil the potatoes – make the aioli – make the slaw – sauté the potatoes – grill the mackerel – serve.

Use the caramelised lemons to squeeze over the mackerel for extra flavour as well as for presentation.

If you don’t have a mandolin, just slice the fennel and apple as thinly as you possibly can. If you don’t have a blender, get ready to beat your mayonnaise mixture with good old-fashioned elbow grease.

Look into sourcing your mackerel from the Cornish Fishmonger online.

They’re a fabulous company and deliver to households across the whole of the UK. If you’d rather stay local though, ask your fishmonger whether they stock MSC Cornish mackerel.

51

STORIES

Warm lemon potato salad

W H AT TO DO

At the start of summer, the early ‘new season’ potatoes are small, waxy, and tremendously tasty. There are lots of different types but the “Rolls Royce” as Simon put it, are Jersey Royals.

Although Pink Firs are also a good choice for this hot potato dish.

1 Put the potatoes into a pan of cold, salted water and bring to the boil. Allow them to simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender.

2 While the potatoes are cooking, zest the lemon by using a potato peeler so you have long ribbons.

3 Drain the potatoes and leave them to cool.

W H AT YOU’LL NEED 400g new potatoes sliced lengthways 25g butter salted 1 tbsp olive oil 1 lemon zested

4 Heat a large frying pan and add the olive oil to sauté the potatoes. When they turn a lovely golden colour, take them off the heat and add the butter and lemon zest ribbons to the pan.

Leave the mixture to stand for a few minutes so the zest releases its oils.

Fresh aioli

W H AT TO DO

The first part of this recipe creates a simple mayonnaise that you can use again and again instead of the shop-bought variety. Because it’s a fresh egg-based product, it should be kept refrigerated and used within three days.

This only makes a small quantity though so you can make it little and often.

1 Using a blender, blitz the egg yolk and lemon juice for 30 seconds.

W H AT YOU’LL NEED

3 Grind the garlic with the salt in a pestle and mortar until it’s puréed into a paste and stir it into your mayonnaise.

70ml virgin olive oil 50ml vegetable oil 3 garlic cloves plump ones 1 egg yolk 1 lemon juiced ¼ tsp flaked sea salt

2 Add the oil, very slowly, while it’s still mixing, until it’s all been added and then immediately stop blending to prevent the mixture from splitting. At this point, you have your home-made mayonnaise.

Here, virgin olive oil is your best option.

Normal olive oil isn’t quite tasty enough and extra virgin will turn your aioli green and can slightly mask the garlic.

Why mackerel?

Mackerel is one of the best Cornish seafood choices.

It’s sustainable and it’s good for you. Cornwall’s hand-line-caught mackerel is pretty hard to beat. Industrial fishing is banned in Cornish waters; instead traditional small-scale fishing boats target mackerel with simple hand-lines, which are a selective and lowimpact alternative that produces the finest quality yield.

Notes from the Cornwall Seafood Guide

A tip or two You can prepare everything fresh on the day. If you want to do it all at the same time, this is the best order to do it in: boil the potatoes – make the aioli – make the slaw – sauté the potatoes – grill the mackerel – serve.

Use the caramelised lemons to squeeze over the mackerel for extra flavour as well as for presentation.

If you don’t have a mandolin, just slice the fennel and apple as thinly as you possibly can. If you don’t have a blender, get ready to beat your mayonnaise mixture with good old-fashioned elbow grease.

Look into sourcing your mackerel from the Cornish Fishmonger online.

They’re a fabulous company and deliver to households across the whole of the UK. If you’d rather stay local though, ask your fishmonger whether they stock MSC Cornish mackerel.

53

STORIES

SUMMER 2017

The book club For many, summer is the season of reading. Holiday booked, we’ll make that trip to the bookshop to stock up on a good four or five books to stow away in suitcases (one is typically promoted to hand luggage). Be they the latest best-sellers or a long-forgotten favourite.

Our shortlist was rather long. But here are some favourites. From the laugh-out-loud, to the can’t-put-it-down, the thought-provoking, the heart-breaking, and the wonderfully uplifting.

W H AT W E’R E R E A DING Hot Milk by Deborah Levy – following the life of Sofia, this rich novel takes us to a stifling village in southern Spain as she searches for a cure for the illness that caused her mother to be in a wheelchair. It’s the sort of read that makes you intuitively connect with the characters. The Guardian described it as being “hypnotic”.

32 Yolks by Eric Ripert – a culinary memoir by the celebrated chef Eric Ripert. We learn of his childhood in the south of France, his adventures in the mountains of Andorra, his time in demanding Parisian kitchens, and his arrival in the United States as he attempts to establish himself in cutthroat New York City.

Leaving Lucy Pear by Anna Solomon – set in 1917, Beatrice Haven leaves her newborn baby beneath the branches of a pear tree. She sits by and watches as another woman cradles the baby and takes her in as though her own. An unusual but gripping novel that considers questions of class, freedom and the meaning of family.

Our pages show a sample of shades for our house-blended paint collection.

This is Pink Peppercorn. Available in emulsion and eggshell paint pots.

Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty by Ramona Ausubel – another book, another decade, this is a story that transports us to the anythinggoes ’70s. It follows the life of a golden couple who suddenly realise they’ve run out of money, which leads to a series of funny yet endearing adventures as they each try to ‘find themselves’ all over again, free from the burden of excess. It’s guaranteed to leave you with a surprised smile.

A Season to Bee by Carlos Aponte – one for the fashion-forward amongst us to share with the style-conscious little people in our lives. Famed fashion illustrator, Carlos Aponte, has created an explosion of colour on each and every page in the form of very stylishly attired bugs. Get ready to be introduced to the chicest ladybirds and catwalkready grasshoppers.

54

53

STORIES

SUMMER 2017

The book club For many, summer is the season of reading. Holiday booked, we’ll make that trip to the bookshop to stock up on a good four or five books to stow away in suitcases (one is typically promoted to hand luggage). Be they the latest best-sellers or a long-forgotten favourite.

Our shortlist was rather long. But here are some favourites. From the laugh-out-loud, to the can’t-put-it-down, the thought-provoking, the heart-breaking, and the wonderfully uplifting.

W H AT W E’R E R E A DING Hot Milk by Deborah Levy – following the life of Sofia, this rich novel takes us to a stifling village in southern Spain as she searches for a cure for the illness that caused her mother to be in a wheelchair. It’s the sort of read that makes you intuitively connect with the characters. The Guardian described it as being “hypnotic”.

32 Yolks by Eric Ripert – a culinary memoir by the celebrated chef Eric Ripert. We learn of his childhood in the south of France, his adventures in the mountains of Andorra, his time in demanding Parisian kitchens, and his arrival in the United States as he attempts to establish himself in cutthroat New York City.

Leaving Lucy Pear by Anna Solomon – set in 1917, Beatrice Haven leaves her newborn baby beneath the branches of a pear tree. She sits by and watches as another woman cradles the baby and takes her in as though her own. An unusual but gripping novel that considers questions of class, freedom and the meaning of family.

Our pages show a sample of shades for our house-blended paint collection.

This is Pink Peppercorn. Available in emulsion and eggshell paint pots.

Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty by Ramona Ausubel – another book, another decade, this is a story that transports us to the anythinggoes ’70s. It follows the life of a golden couple who suddenly realise they’ve run out of money, which leads to a series of funny yet endearing adventures as they each try to ‘find themselves’ all over again, free from the burden of excess. It’s guaranteed to leave you with a surprised smile.

A Season to Bee by Carlos Aponte – one for the fashion-forward amongst us to share with the style-conscious little people in our lives. Famed fashion illustrator, Carlos Aponte, has created an explosion of colour on each and every page in the form of very stylishly attired bugs. Get ready to be introduced to the chicest ladybirds and catwalkready grasshoppers.

54

55

STORIES

U N DE RGROU N D. OV E RGROU N D. The story of Neptune Wimbledon

Neptunes THE SOU NDTR ACK TO THE SEASON

When we compile our Stories playlists, we tend to have in mind a certain scene. Typically, it’s of everybody round at your place; it could be lunchtime, afternoon or into the evening; there’s always plenty of food and good conversation, and we like to think that it will be remembered as one of those days that nobody wants to end.

So, this is summer. We dance between eras and skip between tempos. As soon as you feel lulled, along comes another song to get you up and on your feet, closely followed by another that will have you dancing barefoot in your garden without a care in the world (just for a few moments or more).

It’s the very best of what’s classic and what’s a little bit cool…

Follow the playlist on Spotify by searching @Neptune_home.

Shine Benjamin Francis Leftwich Northern Lights Cider Sky Sweet Disposition The Temper Trap Mango Tree Angus & Julia Stone Another Love Tom Odell Summertime Blues Eddie Cochran The Summer Wind Madeleine Peyroux Better Together Jack Johnson Californication Red Hot Chili Peppers Something Just Like This The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay Smooth Santana featuring Rob Thomas We Don’t Know Beeches Keep Your Head Up Ben Howard Waiting On The World To Change John Mayer Cheerleader OMI featuring Felix Jaehn Beach Baby Bon Iver I’m Yours Jason Mraz Aftergold Big Wild Virginia Moon Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones Daffodils Mark Ronson featuring Kevin Parker Summer Breeze The Isley Brothers Leave While I’m Not Looking Paloma Faith Sunny Afternoon The Kinks Seasons (Waiting On You) Future Islands

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

55

STORIES

U N DE RGROU N D. OV E RGROU N D. The story of Neptune Wimbledon

Neptunes THE SOU NDTR ACK TO THE SEASON

When we compile our Stories playlists, we tend to have in mind a certain scene. Typically, it’s of everybody round at your place; it could be lunchtime, afternoon or into the evening; there’s always plenty of food and good conversation, and we like to think that it will be remembered as one of those days that nobody wants to end.

So, this is summer. We dance between eras and skip between tempos. As soon as you feel lulled, along comes another song to get you up and on your feet, closely followed by another that will have you dancing barefoot in your garden without a care in the world (just for a few moments or more).

It’s the very best of what’s classic and what’s a little bit cool…

Follow the playlist on Spotify by searching @Neptune_home.

Shine Benjamin Francis Leftwich Northern Lights Cider Sky Sweet Disposition The Temper Trap Mango Tree Angus & Julia Stone Another Love Tom Odell Summertime Blues Eddie Cochran The Summer Wind Madeleine Peyroux Better Together Jack Johnson Californication Red Hot Chili Peppers Something Just Like This The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay Smooth Santana featuring Rob Thomas We Don’t Know Beeches Keep Your Head Up Ben Howard Waiting On The World To Change John Mayer Cheerleader OMI featuring Felix Jaehn Beach Baby Bon Iver I’m Yours Jason Mraz Aftergold Big Wild Virginia Moon Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones Daffodils Mark Ronson featuring Kevin Parker Summer Breeze The Isley Brothers Leave While I’m Not Looking Paloma Faith Sunny Afternoon The Kinks Seasons (Waiting On You) Future Islands

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

SUMMER 2017

Wimbledon is known for many things, from Wombles to a little-known tennis tournament. It’s lovely, it’s leafy, it’s laidback.

In February of this year, we were finally able to call it home, opening our

third store in London. You can find us just a ten-minute stroll from Wimbledon’s overground and underground stations; a ten-minute cycle from Wimbledon Village; and less than two miles from centre court…

Neptune Wimbledon took some time to find. Tim, who heads up our New Store Development team has had his eye on Wimbledon for years and years. “I’d been looking into a few London locations – Richmond, Dulwich, Blackheath. Central London locations, in so far as they’re within the North and South Circular, but generally ones that feel a bit more suburban and village-like. But Wimbledon had always felt like the right place for the Neptune brand,” Tim explained. He heard that a shop called ‘Gerry’s of Wimbledon’ was going on the market. This was in September 2015. And so the bidding began. The competition was fierce, as it often is, but three months later, we had the keys.

Gerry’s of Wimbledon had been run for years by the same family as a fisherman’s tackle shop. Generations came and went until the time eventually came for the family to move on. “It’s on The Broadway – pretty much the far end of the high street. Our neighbours have a very different offering to us, but the area is up and coming; the high street is extending. Of course we’d love to be nestled in amongst the independents of Wimbledon Village, but it’s almost more important to us to invest in the store environment and architecture than a prime location that’s next-door to a tube station. We pick buildings and we choose spaces that we can completely reconfigure and we hope that we can draw people to us. And it works. They know that we’re doing something really quite different in our stores to anyone else,” Tim continued.

NEPTUNE.COM

58

SUMMER 2017

Wimbledon is known for many things, from Wombles to a little-known tennis tournament. It’s lovely, it’s leafy, it’s laidback.

In February of this year, we were finally able to call it home, opening our

third store in London. You can find us just a ten-minute stroll from Wimbledon’s overground and underground stations; a ten-minute cycle from Wimbledon Village; and less than two miles from centre court…

Neptune Wimbledon took some time to find. Tim, who heads up our New Store Development team has had his eye on Wimbledon for years and years. “I’d been looking into a few London locations – Richmond, Dulwich, Blackheath. Central London locations, in so far as they’re within the North and South Circular, but generally ones that feel a bit more suburban and village-like. But Wimbledon had always felt like the right place for the Neptune brand,” Tim explained. He heard that a shop called ‘Gerry’s of Wimbledon’ was going on the market. This was in September 2015. And so the bidding began. The competition was fierce, as it often is, but three months later, we had the keys.

Gerry’s of Wimbledon had been run for years by the same family as a fisherman’s tackle shop. Generations came and went until the time eventually came for the family to move on. “It’s on The Broadway – pretty much the far end of the high street. Our neighbours have a very different offering to us, but the area is up and coming; the high street is extending. Of course we’d love to be nestled in amongst the independents of Wimbledon Village, but it’s almost more important to us to invest in the store environment and architecture than a prime location that’s next-door to a tube station. We pick buildings and we choose spaces that we can completely reconfigure and we hope that we can draw people to us. And it works. They know that we’re doing something really quite different in our stores to anyone else,” Tim continued.

NEPTUNE.COM

58

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STORIES

VISIT US 168-178 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1RX 020 3362 8240 Or find your closest store at N EP T U N E .COM/FI ND -A-S TOR E

That comment rings especially true with Neptune Wimbledon. Our team of store designers have created a space that is by far the most contemporary of all of our locations, starting with the exterior. “It took a long time to figure it out, but we’ve been able to front the entire store with Crittall windows (the metal-framed design first invented in the 1800s). It’s such a striking look and it creates a really exciting pace before you’ve even stepped over the threshold,” said Lizzie, the store designer behind Neptune Wimbledon. “The building was pretty much a large rectangular box once it had been gutted. Usually, I’m working with large former pubs or barn-style buildings and so this was a very different space to work with. I felt I could push the design boundaries slightly to create something that was representative of Neptune, but that was also finely attuned to its London location.”

Lizzie went to and from Wimbledon across a three-month process, sketching out numerous design concepts before developing ‘the one’ alongside Fred (who heads up the retail design team) and John (one of our founders). “Every aspect of the store design is considered over and over again so we can be certain it’s our definition of perfect.

Above everything though, we’re always striving for our stores to feel like homes, and to do that properly,

we need to do so much more than build living rooms and bedrooms, we need to create that ‘feeling’ of wanting to kick off your shoes and just relax.”

Lizzie also explained how Neptune Wimbledon was once upon a time probably two houses, that were knocked together and developed into a shop. There were a few residential features that survived – a sash window on one side of the chimney breast and a “funny little archway” that she was never able to trace back to its original purpose. Despite the overriding feeling of modernity, the interior reflects our established style of presenting our collections in different room types for different styles of home, from the traditional country Chichester kitchen to the contemporary Limehouse, to the townhouse-esque section at the back with a living room, dining room and Suffolk kitchen that feels a bit more Georgian in influence. Lizzie then manipulated the store design to reinstate that original sash window so that it could be part of the office and staff kitchen, allowing in natural light and fresh air.

There was one final original feature that Lizzie found on one of her site visits. It was an old brass pull-bell on the wall where the entrance used to be.

She kept it, polished it up, and plans to reinstall it sometime soon. “It has a beautiful patina and hammered finish. It’s lovely to bring together the old and the new,” she said.

61

STORIES

VISIT US 168-178 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1RX 020 3362 8240 Or find your closest store at N EP T U N E .COM/FI ND -A-S TOR E

That comment rings especially true with Neptune Wimbledon. Our team of store designers have created a space that is by far the most contemporary of all of our locations, starting with the exterior. “It took a long time to figure it out, but we’ve been able to front the entire store with Crittall windows (the metal-framed design first invented in the 1800s). It’s such a striking look and it creates a really exciting pace before you’ve even stepped over the threshold,” said Lizzie, the store designer behind Neptune Wimbledon. “The building was pretty much a large rectangular box once it had been gutted. Usually, I’m working with large former pubs or barn-style buildings and so this was a very different space to work with. I felt I could push the design boundaries slightly to create something that was representative of Neptune, but that was also finely attuned to its London location.”

Lizzie went to and from Wimbledon across a three-month process, sketching out numerous design concepts before developing ‘the one’ alongside Fred (who heads up the retail design team) and John (one of our founders). “Every aspect of the store design is considered over and over again so we can be certain it’s our definition of perfect.

Above everything though, we’re always striving for our stores to feel like homes, and to do that properly,

we need to do so much more than build living rooms and bedrooms, we need to create that ‘feeling’ of wanting to kick off your shoes and just relax.”

Lizzie also explained how Neptune Wimbledon was once upon a time probably two houses, that were knocked together and developed into a shop. There were a few residential features that survived – a sash window on one side of the chimney breast and a “funny little archway” that she was never able to trace back to its original purpose. Despite the overriding feeling of modernity, the interior reflects our established style of presenting our collections in different room types for different styles of home, from the traditional country Chichester kitchen to the contemporary Limehouse, to the townhouse-esque section at the back with a living room, dining room and Suffolk kitchen that feels a bit more Georgian in influence. Lizzie then manipulated the store design to reinstate that original sash window so that it could be part of the office and staff kitchen, allowing in natural light and fresh air.

There was one final original feature that Lizzie found on one of her site visits. It was an old brass pull-bell on the wall where the entrance used to be.

She kept it, polished it up, and plans to reinstall it sometime soon. “It has a beautiful patina and hammered finish. It’s lovely to bring together the old and the new,” she said.

63

STORIES

SUMMER 2017

Rock-a-bye

This is our very-first rocking chair.

It was made in our bespoke workshop in Wiltshire, and the story behind it is a lovely one.

Towards the end of March, we had a surprise afternoon tea party planned.

It was in honour of Caroline, who was one day away from leaving us to have her first baby. But in the early hours of that morning, two weeks earlier than expected, her baby decided that now was the perfect time to say hello to the world…

Caroline joined Neptune 13 years ago. On the 1st December 2004 to be precise. She was fresh out of university and this was her first job. She’s stayed with us all this time; she’s one of our longest standing employees. We asked John if he remembers her first day. “Of course. She was this sprightly thing with boundless energy and a constant grin. From day one she just got things done. I’ve no idea how she did it, but she always did. She might not realise it, but she’s always been very special to me,” he said.

We wanted her to have an extra special gift that she could share with her new baby. So, Fiona, our marketing director and Caroline’s ‘boss’, had the wonderful idea of a rocking chair. She suggested to Joe (one of our designers) that we base it on our Antigua chair. Fiona has one herself and felt like it was a happy combination of comfort and support. Joe created rockers and gave them a painted finish. We usually use tulipwood but he felt solid oak was best here for stability as it sways back and forth. He reviewed the ergonomics and he changed the rake so that it wasn’t an upright sit. He tested it over and over again and then had it made in our bespoke workshop in Wiltshire. We all wanted it to be perfect.

On 25th March at 6.15am, Oliver was born. He’s utterly gorgeous, he’s as cute as a button, and we can’t wait to see his first Caroline-like smile.

Mother and baby (and father too) are doing very well indeed.

Welcome to the world little man.

64

63

STORIES

SUMMER 2017

Rock-a-bye

This is our very-first rocking chair.

It was made in our bespoke workshop in Wiltshire, and the story behind it is a lovely one.

Towards the end of March, we had a surprise afternoon tea party planned.

It was in honour of Caroline, who was one day away from leaving us to have her first baby. But in the early hours of that morning, two weeks earlier than expected, her baby decided that now was the perfect time to say hello to the world…

Caroline joined Neptune 13 years ago. On the 1st December 2004 to be precise. She was fresh out of university and this was her first job. She’s stayed with us all this time; she’s one of our longest standing employees. We asked John if he remembers her first day. “Of course. She was this sprightly thing with boundless energy and a constant grin. From day one she just got things done. I’ve no idea how she did it, but she always did. She might not realise it, but she’s always been very special to me,” he said.

We wanted her to have an extra special gift that she could share with her new baby. So, Fiona, our marketing director and Caroline’s ‘boss’, had the wonderful idea of a rocking chair. She suggested to Joe (one of our designers) that we base it on our Antigua chair. Fiona has one herself and felt like it was a happy combination of comfort and support. Joe created rockers and gave them a painted finish. We usually use tulipwood but he felt solid oak was best here for stability as it sways back and forth. He reviewed the ergonomics and he changed the rake so that it wasn’t an upright sit. He tested it over and over again and then had it made in our bespoke workshop in Wiltshire. We all wanted it to be perfect.

On 25th March at 6.15am, Oliver was born. He’s utterly gorgeous, he’s as cute as a button, and we can’t wait to see his first Caroline-like smile.

Mother and baby (and father too) are doing very well indeed.

Welcome to the world little man.

64

Doing things

PROPE R LY

‘Built to last’. At Neptune, we talk a lot about timeless design – meaning our aesthetic approach is one that we believe will stand the test of time. But we understand that enduring style needs to be matched by good craftsmanship; it’s what gives rise to depth and authenticity. So we sat down with Giles Redman, co-founder of Neptune, to talk about ‘the Neptune approach’, materials, his focus on functionality, and the trials that come with natural timber.

The Appalachian Mountains, United States of America

Doing things

PROPE R LY

‘Built to last’. At Neptune, we talk a lot about timeless design – meaning our aesthetic approach is one that we believe will stand the test of time. But we understand that enduring style needs to be matched by good craftsmanship; it’s what gives rise to depth and authenticity. So we sat down with Giles Redman, co-founder of Neptune, to talk about ‘the Neptune approach’, materials, his focus on functionality, and the trials that come with natural timber.

The Appalachian Mountains, United States of America

67

STORIES

Giles is a man who thrives on challenges.

He’s down-to-earth, he’s a relentless problem-solver, and he throws himself at everything with gusto.

When not working, he’s often to be found digging his vegetable patch or feeding his sheep. Put simply, he does things properly and he does things well.

Wholeheartedly, honestly and thoroughly.

When we talked to him about building to last, his eyes sharpened: “You’ve just got to have the right raw materials.

Quality is incredibly important, but more than anything, it has to be the right raw material for the right application.” It’s a deceptively simple idea that is actually quite hard to realise. Many businesses have a vision for a design, but very often that vision doesn’t translate into reality and the final product loses sight of the practical and the sensible. “Everything that we make has to do what it should.

The materials and the making have to work together.

A chair that isn’t comfortable isn’t worth doing.”

From the very beginning, timber has always been at the heart of our designs, because when selected carefully, handled with understanding, and used appropriately, it’s infinitely reliable, it looks good, and it just feels right. “Sure, metal would work, as would man-made materials a lot of the time, but we’re making stuff for homes,” Giles explained, placing real emphasis on the word ‘homes’. “Yes, we want it to last, but it’s no use creating something

that’s robust but doesn’t feel good to use. We want to achieve both. That being said, if something other than wood makes sense for a particular product or if we want to offer some variation, then we’ll absolutely go for it. For example, we use galvanised, powder coated steel on outdoor designs like Monaco and we’ve gone for a resin weave for some of our outdoor seating collections instead of natural rattan, because it’s so much easier to live with. But timber is in our soul.” It’s not just any timber either. Neptune cares just as deeply about the provenance of its wood as it does the quality, choosing to source it from the ecologically accredited region within the Appalachian mountains in the United States of America, known for its premium quality and sustainability. We hold a certificate of origin for every single lumber delivery.

This commitment to authentic materials comes with its own set of issues. “We’re constantly challenged by nature; it wants to be a little imperfect; it wants to move. That’s why so many companies create products with the ‘rustic’ look; if another crack appears then, well, it’s just another crack. Or, they’ll go with the man-made option instead which is easier still. What we’re trying to achieve is really difficult.

We’re constantly trying to innovate, and you know what, we have to learn as we go sometimes.

NEPTUNE.COM

But we have a team of people with an unbelievable bank of knowledge to make sure that if we ever stumble, we find our footing quickly. Not only that, our construction and assembly methods are intelligent. They recognise that our pieces are going to be used constantly, that they’ll need to cope with the rough and tumble of family life, and that they need to have some give. They’ll always look the part though, that’s non-negotiable.”

When we started out, Neptune didn’t run its own workshop.

“We did what many other businesses do and outsourced. Turns out, that wasn’t for us. We tried putting our own people in other people’s factories, but that didn’t work either. The standards still weren’t high enough. I like to in-source. It means we’re all working towards the same goal. So, we found our own patch, built a production house, and called it home. We want outstanding quality and incredible accuracy, and for us, this was the best way to go about achieving that”. Giles explained how we use mortise and tenon joinery with dowel locks in our drawers for an extra layer of stability, how we’ve invested heavily in humidity chambers to mimic the typical conditions in a European home to reduce natural timber movement and a hundred other clever details.

“It’s not about controlling nature. You can’t. It’s about understanding it and working with it to produce something marvellous.”

As Giles left, he stood up and pointed to a nearby dresser. “That dresser has the ability to perform for hundreds of years. But it’s a real thing. It won’t stop ageing, and neither should it. It has everything it needs to prosper. It can change and it can evolve. You can paint it a different colour, change the handles and re-configure the shelves.

It’ll grow old with you. How reassuring is that?”

67

STORIES

Giles is a man who thrives on challenges.

He’s down-to-earth, he’s a relentless problem-solver, and he throws himself at everything with gusto.

When not working, he’s often to be found digging his vegetable patch or feeding his sheep. Put simply, he does things properly and he does things well.

Wholeheartedly, honestly and thoroughly.

When we talked to him about building to last, his eyes sharpened: “You’ve just got to have the right raw materials.

Quality is incredibly important, but more than anything, it has to be the right raw material for the right application.” It’s a deceptively simple idea that is actually quite hard to realise. Many businesses have a vision for a design, but very often that vision doesn’t translate into reality and the final product loses sight of the practical and the sensible. “Everything that we make has to do what it should.

The materials and the making have to work together.

A chair that isn’t comfortable isn’t worth doing.”

From the very beginning, timber has always been at the heart of our designs, because when selected carefully, handled with understanding, and used appropriately, it’s infinitely reliable, it looks good, and it just feels right. “Sure, metal would work, as would man-made materials a lot of the time, but we’re making stuff for homes,” Giles explained, placing real emphasis on the word ‘homes’. “Yes, we want it to last, but it’s no use creating something

that’s robust but doesn’t feel good to use. We want to achieve both. That being said, if something other than wood makes sense for a particular product or if we want to offer some variation, then we’ll absolutely go for it. For example, we use galvanised, powder coated steel on outdoor designs like Monaco and we’ve gone for a resin weave for some of our outdoor seating collections instead of natural rattan, because it’s so much easier to live with. But timber is in our soul.” It’s not just any timber either. Neptune cares just as deeply about the provenance of its wood as it does the quality, choosing to source it from the ecologically accredited region within the Appalachian mountains in the United States of America, known for its premium quality and sustainability. We hold a certificate of origin for every single lumber delivery.

This commitment to authentic materials comes with its own set of issues. “We’re constantly challenged by nature; it wants to be a little imperfect; it wants to move. That’s why so many companies create products with the ‘rustic’ look; if another crack appears then, well, it’s just another crack. Or, they’ll go with the man-made option instead which is easier still. What we’re trying to achieve is really difficult.

We’re constantly trying to innovate, and you know what, we have to learn as we go sometimes.

NEPTUNE.COM

But we have a team of people with an unbelievable bank of knowledge to make sure that if we ever stumble, we find our footing quickly. Not only that, our construction and assembly methods are intelligent. They recognise that our pieces are going to be used constantly, that they’ll need to cope with the rough and tumble of family life, and that they need to have some give. They’ll always look the part though, that’s non-negotiable.”

When we started out, Neptune didn’t run its own workshop.

“We did what many other businesses do and outsourced. Turns out, that wasn’t for us. We tried putting our own people in other people’s factories, but that didn’t work either. The standards still weren’t high enough. I like to in-source. It means we’re all working towards the same goal. So, we found our own patch, built a production house, and called it home. We want outstanding quality and incredible accuracy, and for us, this was the best way to go about achieving that”. Giles explained how we use mortise and tenon joinery with dowel locks in our drawers for an extra layer of stability, how we’ve invested heavily in humidity chambers to mimic the typical conditions in a European home to reduce natural timber movement and a hundred other clever details.

“It’s not about controlling nature. You can’t. It’s about understanding it and working with it to produce something marvellous.”

As Giles left, he stood up and pointed to a nearby dresser. “That dresser has the ability to perform for hundreds of years. But it’s a real thing. It won’t stop ageing, and neither should it. It has everything it needs to prosper. It can change and it can evolve. You can paint it a different colour, change the handles and re-configure the shelves.

It’ll grow old with you. How reassuring is that?”

SUMMER 2017

The

GA R DEN PICNIC

By Jo Leevers It’s a simple fact that fresh, summer-time food tastes better outdoors. A slice of gloriously peppery frittata. Squares of crumbly lemon shortbread. Or Kalamata olives and a chilled tipple, all enjoyed while sitting on a blanket beneath clear blue skies.

Except, as anyone who has lugged a picnic basket ‘just that little bit further’ in search of the elusively perfect spot knows, that’s not quite the full story.

Unpacking sadly misshapen sandwiches. Grappling with bendy forks, floppy paper plates and drinking warm wine from paper cups. Yes, it’s all part of it and yes, there’s a certain charm, but sometimes it doesn’t quite feel like the perfect picnic that we had in mind. If you’ve gone to the trouble of making delicious food, you need to honour your spread with proper plates, glasses that you can chink and cutlery that feels reassuringly solid and does the job properly.

The answer, we’ve decided, is to prepare a moveable feast and to not roam very far at all. Your back garden – or your favourite patch in a nearby field – will serve you well and means little legs needn’t traipse for very long. You can still enjoy all that’s lovely about being outdoors, except you’ll also have all the benefits of being close to home. Your food will travel well and can be served just as you intended. Your elderflower, Chablis or deliciously sharp lemonade will remain chilled to perfection.

To cushion your glasses and plates for a short trip out, create a sleeping bag with linen napkins. Devote one sturdyhandled picnic basket to food and drink, and use a second for crockery and cutlery. A couple of picnic rugs can be looped over an arm. And because you’re not travelling too far, you can add further comfort to your setting with plump cushions and some soft throws.

As the sun starts to dip down, these will be doubly useful, allowing everyone to linger outdoors a little longer. And so that it remains feeling definitely picnic-y, wrap your sandwiches in parchment paper, present dressings in jam jars, and carry out ice cubes in a family-sized Thermos flask.

When everything goes smoothly, a picnic can almost feel like a mini-holiday. So keep the journey simple. No map-reading required.

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

Madeleine chair in Jack Sage £440 Arundel coffee table £630 Sefton throw £170 Skye throw £155

70

SUMMER 2017

The

GA R DEN PICNIC

By Jo Leevers It’s a simple fact that fresh, summer-time food tastes better outdoors. A slice of gloriously peppery frittata. Squares of crumbly lemon shortbread. Or Kalamata olives and a chilled tipple, all enjoyed while sitting on a blanket beneath clear blue skies.

Except, as anyone who has lugged a picnic basket ‘just that little bit further’ in search of the elusively perfect spot knows, that’s not quite the full story.

Unpacking sadly misshapen sandwiches. Grappling with bendy forks, floppy paper plates and drinking warm wine from paper cups. Yes, it’s all part of it and yes, there’s a certain charm, but sometimes it doesn’t quite feel like the perfect picnic that we had in mind. If you’ve gone to the trouble of making delicious food, you need to honour your spread with proper plates, glasses that you can chink and cutlery that feels reassuringly solid and does the job properly.

The answer, we’ve decided, is to prepare a moveable feast and to not roam very far at all. Your back garden – or your favourite patch in a nearby field – will serve you well and means little legs needn’t traipse for very long. You can still enjoy all that’s lovely about being outdoors, except you’ll also have all the benefits of being close to home. Your food will travel well and can be served just as you intended. Your elderflower, Chablis or deliciously sharp lemonade will remain chilled to perfection.

To cushion your glasses and plates for a short trip out, create a sleeping bag with linen napkins. Devote one sturdyhandled picnic basket to food and drink, and use a second for crockery and cutlery. A couple of picnic rugs can be looped over an arm. And because you’re not travelling too far, you can add further comfort to your setting with plump cushions and some soft throws.

As the sun starts to dip down, these will be doubly useful, allowing everyone to linger outdoors a little longer. And so that it remains feeling definitely picnic-y, wrap your sandwiches in parchment paper, present dressings in jam jars, and carry out ice cubes in a family-sized Thermos flask.

When everything goes smoothly, a picnic can almost feel like a mini-holiday. So keep the journey simple. No map-reading required.

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

Madeleine chair in Jack Sage £440 Arundel coffee table £630 Sefton throw £170 Skye throw £155

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STORIES

SUMMER 2017

L AK ES FOR SW IMMING

L A K ES FOR YOUR LIST From tarns to pools to lagoons

Kailpot Crag, Lake District This very specific spot on Ullswater Lake is tucked away from the crowds. It’s surrounded by twisted oaks and rowan trees with deep, clear water to splash in. Try heading there at sunset to make the most of its west-facing aspect. While you’re in The Lakes, you could also try Crummock Water in Buttermere.

Goldiggins Quarry, Cornwall Spring-fed and set within a grassy amphitheatre, this quarry lake has glistening jade-coloured water and is a bit of a suntrap too. To reach Goldiggins, there’s a beautiful moor-side path past the Hurlers – one of the most complete stone circle remains in the whole of the south-west.

There’s something quite glorious about wild swimming. Be it a simple splash-about in a trickling stream or wading into seaside waters, it feels carefree and a little bit brave. When you see abandoned shoes and rolled up socks on grassy banks, when you hear whoops of laughter and delighted squeals, and when you spy a four-legged friend shaking himself dry, it’s a tell-tale sign of a summer’s day.

So this summer, why not plan an adventure that involves a drive-out to nearby(ish) cool waters, and as soon as the sun shines, grab your things, get up, go, and don’t forget the towels…

A word or two on safety Open water swimming should always be approached safety-first. Be sure to research your chosen spot first at wildswimming.co.uk or at gov.uk and to read up on general safety advice on wild water.

Llyn Idwal, Snowdonia Llyns are essentially another word for tarns – high lakes that appear as if from nowhere during mountain hikes. Snowdonia has some of the very best, where you can swim completely immersed in the landscape.

This glacial lake is a popular stop for the brave.

Prepare to shiver…

Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye Another for those who can stand the cold. The Fairy Pools are a thing of true beauty in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides. Expect to see a succession of small pools and waterfalls. You might want to take a wetsuit.

Claverton Weir, Bath Described as a “meandering cascade that forms a lagoon across the River Avon”. There’s a shallow beach section beneath the falls for children and if you follow it upriver, you can enjoy a leisurely swim trail that’s dappled with balsam and willows. Kingfishers are often spotted here so you can turn it into a mini water safari.

72

71

STORIES

SUMMER 2017

L AK ES FOR SW IMMING

L A K ES FOR YOUR LIST From tarns to pools to lagoons

Kailpot Crag, Lake District This very specific spot on Ullswater Lake is tucked away from the crowds. It’s surrounded by twisted oaks and rowan trees with deep, clear water to splash in. Try heading there at sunset to make the most of its west-facing aspect. While you’re in The Lakes, you could also try Crummock Water in Buttermere.

Goldiggins Quarry, Cornwall Spring-fed and set within a grassy amphitheatre, this quarry lake has glistening jade-coloured water and is a bit of a suntrap too. To reach Goldiggins, there’s a beautiful moor-side path past the Hurlers – one of the most complete stone circle remains in the whole of the south-west.

There’s something quite glorious about wild swimming. Be it a simple splash-about in a trickling stream or wading into seaside waters, it feels carefree and a little bit brave. When you see abandoned shoes and rolled up socks on grassy banks, when you hear whoops of laughter and delighted squeals, and when you spy a four-legged friend shaking himself dry, it’s a tell-tale sign of a summer’s day.

So this summer, why not plan an adventure that involves a drive-out to nearby(ish) cool waters, and as soon as the sun shines, grab your things, get up, go, and don’t forget the towels…

A word or two on safety Open water swimming should always be approached safety-first. Be sure to research your chosen spot first at wildswimming.co.uk or at gov.uk and to read up on general safety advice on wild water.

Llyn Idwal, Snowdonia Llyns are essentially another word for tarns – high lakes that appear as if from nowhere during mountain hikes. Snowdonia has some of the very best, where you can swim completely immersed in the landscape.

This glacial lake is a popular stop for the brave.

Prepare to shiver…

Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye Another for those who can stand the cold. The Fairy Pools are a thing of true beauty in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides. Expect to see a succession of small pools and waterfalls. You might want to take a wetsuit.

Claverton Weir, Bath Described as a “meandering cascade that forms a lagoon across the River Avon”. There’s a shallow beach section beneath the falls for children and if you follow it upriver, you can enjoy a leisurely swim trail that’s dappled with balsam and willows. Kingfishers are often spotted here so you can turn it into a mini water safari.

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VOLUME 4 SUMMER 2017

W E BELIEV E that less is often more While we champion complex engineering (where it’s necessary), meticulous and careful thinking, and do-thingsdifferently design, ultimately, we want the end result to just feel easy. Things that look lovely, are a joy to have in our lives, that are simple to use, that don’t try too hard, and that make our everyday that bit better.

Madeleine chair in Jack Mustard, £440.

English rose in Dusky Pink and Raspberry, £16. Corinium large jug vase, £25.

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