KENSINGTON JANUARY 2015

ABSOLUTELY KENSINGTON

JANUARY 2015 / £3.95

THE DETOX DELIVERED

ALL THE BEST DIETS

DONNA WILSON

ALICE TEMPERLEY

WOOLEN WONDERS

ON FROCKS AND FANCY DRESS

Lounge LOVER

COSY YET GLAMOROUS LOOKS FOR STAYING IN

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facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Kildare Terrace, Notting Hill, W2

An attractive and well-presented five bedroom, family house, occupying approximately 2,769 sq ft and situated in this very popular, secluded cul-de-sac.

ÂŁ4,250,000 Freehold

2,769 sq ft (257.2 sq m) EPC Rating C Entrance hall | Drawing room | Dining room | Sitting room | Two kitchens | Conservatory | Five bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Wine cellar | Terrace | Garden

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111 Nottinghill@struttandparker.com

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Elgin Crescent, W11

A delightful four bedroom house located on one of Notting Hill's most sought after addresses, with direct access to Montpelier communal garden at the rear.

ÂŁ3,950,000 Freehold

1,798 sq ft (167.0 sq m) EPC Rating E Entrance hall | Drawing room | Kitchen | Family room | Main bedroom with en suite bathroom | Two further bedrooms | Study/ bedroom | Office | Bathroom | Garden | Communal garden access

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111 Nottinghill@struttandparker.com

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Januar y 2015

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72 27 MOODBOARD

12

c u lt u r e WHAT'S ON

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ON THE AGENDA

28 SLEEP TIGHT

PARTIES

food & drink 58 THE DETOX - DELIVRED

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Diary dates for January Tom Dixon, Bill Amberg, Tamsin Greig and Pedro Almodovar Absolutely's fabulous third birthday bash at Mode Collective

st yle 20 FASHION NOTES

Previewing SS15 while wearing coats

22 TEMPERLEY, TEMPERLEY

Alice Temperley discusses her design process, motherhood and meeting the queen

Cashmere designer Madeleine Johnson identifies her favourite things Stylish loungewear and sleepwear shot on location in the bedroom

Sampling London's finest diets on your doorstep

63 THE REVIEW: WORMWOOD Raving about W11's most exciting new eaterie

interiors 68 INTERIORS NOTES

Heavy metals and upcycled chic

72 TUB TALK

Why luxury is all about the bathroom for 2015

77 KNIT WIT

Meeting Donna Wilson, who has become a household name in the years since her first collection was stocked at W11's Couverture

58 k i d s & e d u c at i o n 83 EDUCATION Forget Mandarin. What children of the future need to know is coding

85 KIDS NOTES

How to dress them and what to fill their minds with

PROPERTY 126 PROPERTY NEWS

News and views on the area

134 LUXE LETTS

Our pick of the current lettings market

C o v e r i m a g e s s aq qa r a j e w e l s .c o m stocked at brownsfashion.com

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JANUARY 2015

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N U -L I N E K I T C H E N

S T U D I O

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N u -L i ne Ki t c h e n S tu d io : 12- 14 Malto n rd L o n d o n W10 5U P 0 2 0 8206 5170 w w w.nu - lin e.n et

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EDITOR PENDLE HARTE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ELIZABETH HUTTON EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS PEARL BOYD, AMANDA CONSTANCE, CATHERINE HALES CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY EDITOR ARABELLA PRESTON SENIOR ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER ROCHELLE STREATER TRAINEE ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER ABIGAIL CRAMP CENTRAL PROPERTY MANAGER LEAH DAY PROPERTY EDITORS HUGO HUNTER ART DIRECTOR RAY SEARLE SENIOR DESIGNER PAWEL KUBA PRODUCTION MANAGER STEWART HYDE MID-WEIGHT DESIGNER TAHIR KAPUCU PROPERTY EDITORIAL DESIGNER ANDREW MAVIN DESIGNER EKREM YILMAZ JUNIOR DESIGNER REBECCA NOONAN COPY CONTROLLER CHRISTINE MANN FINANCE DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA HVID DIRECTORS GREG HUGHES, ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT PA TO DIRECTORS MARIANNE MCFADDEN For editorial enquiries please email: pendle@zest-media.com For advertising enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: advertising@zest-media.com Subscriptions are available simply by emailing marianne@zest-media.com You can receive an online subscription for FREE or a postal subscription at £30 for 12 months (to cover postage and packaging). Please email us with your preferred option and details.

Published by

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Fo l l ow Us O n T wi t t e r @ABSOLUTELY_MAGS Fa c e b o o k ‘ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES’

EDITOR’S letter

I

t's unavoidable that the new year becomes associated with new resolve and inevitably everyone tries to improve themselves. Or at least they say that's their intention.

Personally, I have never seriously embarked on a new year's resolution – not that I never try to improve things, mind, just not at the whim of a calendar, and realistically I suspect that nobody else really buys into it either. The whole thing sets people up to fail, whether a fitness regime or giving up smoking. So while we have tried out the obligatory self-improvement schemes for this issue (diets, detoxes, exercise) we're not going to be all self-righteous about it. Sure, we'll all plan to eat a bit healthier, maybe drink a little less, maybe put some gym classes in the diary, but let's approach it gently. There are lots of other things to talk about this month anyway. In this issue, we meet Alice Temperley and Donna Wilson, both designers who have built up small

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empires under their own names, both of them connected to the area. Who knew that RCA graduate Wilson was actually discovered in W11?

Couverture was the stockist of her fi rst ever collection. And Westbourne Grove's SCP sells vast numbers of her pieces, ranging from curious knitted creatures to stylish ceramics. Alice Temperley's label was born and grew up in Notting Hill, and though it's still here, it's also a presence as far afield as Dubai and Qatar. Oh – and don't miss the pictures of our third birthday party, which we celebrated at Mode, the latest incarnation of the sub-motorway space that used to be Subterania. Happy New Year. u

Pendle Harte Editor

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:25

WORD UP

Bella Freud has a way with words and her new collection shouts 'dance' and 'happening' and simply 'love'. We are obsessing over this pink dance jumper, in 100% merino with a sparkle stripe. £270, bellafreud.com

10 Things We

ABSOLUTELY

PUNCH DRUNK

Get box fit in style with these fabulous glam rock-inspired boxing gloves in leather with metallic star details. £66; fabbyfabienne.com

BERRY RED

Mimi Berry's beautiful and classic bags are reworked subtly each season – we love the iconic Frank bag in its new Bordeaux incarnation. £378; mimiberry.co.uk

DATE NIGHT

If you haven't already started your 2015 diary, now's the time. We recommend the flamingo fi lofax, £35; filofax.co.uk

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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ABSOLUTELY / LOVES

CROSS KNIT

RUBY RED

Eribe's innovative and forward-thinking knitwear offers a spin on the Scottish tradition and is selling out at The Cross.

From £180; thecrossshop.co.uk

Fascinated by the way jewels and stones make you feel, Vanessa Kandiyoti's pieces are designed to be worn as good luck charms. These Root Chakra rubies will help keep you grounded. From £1,296; vanessakandiyoti.com

IT'S A WRAP

Queens Park-based former fashion PR Emma Greenhill has launched her own brand of beautiful silk scarves, and the next collection is called Matchmaker. emmagreenhill.com

RING MY BELL

New to Wolf and Badger is a beautiful jewellery collection from Stockholmbased designer Efva Atling. We adore the Love Bead rings, from £600; efvaattling.com

CHANEL TIME

PUSS IN BOOTS

For the first time in watchmaking history, diamonds and fine pearls have been embroidered together to create this stunning camellia flower.

Simple perfection. £27,000; chanel.com

We love these metallic peep-toe ankle boots from Burberry Prorsum. Their hand-painted floral design means we'll be wearing the little beauties through winter into sunny spring. £1,195; burberry.com

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 09:32

COMMIT TO BE FIT IN

2015 Sign up now and and get up to

TWO MONTHS FREE.* Enjoy unlimited access to our 88 station gym, 70 group classes and more. fitness.membership@westway.org westway.org

Westway Sports & Fitness Club

Westway Sports & Fitness Centre

3-5 Thorpe Close

1 Crowthorne Road

London, W10 5XL

London, W10 6RP

020 8962 5753

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020 8969 0992

@Westway_Fitness

Westway Fitness

* Terms and conditions apply

12/12/2014 11:18

> WHAT'S ON IN JANUARY

p. 12

THE CULTURAL AGENDA

p. 15

ALL THE BEST PARTIES

p. 17

IMAGINED WORLDS Amanda Charchian's Ginger Entanglement is one of the arresting images on display at Heist gallery this month. The Road to Elysium is a show of works from an imagination of a post-apocalyptic world in the distant future.

To 12 January; 41-43 Linden Gardens, W2 heist-online.com

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AROUND, AMONG, WITHIN

14 - 24 Ja n u a r y L a c e y C o nte m p o ra r y G a ll e r y nspired by time spent working and travelling in South East Asia, I contemporary British artist Laurence Wood explores engaging cultural or religious issues through the bold use and layering of colour, imagery and shape. ◆ 8 Clarendon Cross, W11; laceycontemporarygallery.co.uk

TITLE & DEED

ENCHANTED PAGE

IMAGE COURTESY OF ORDINARY ARCHITECTURE

T he

Fro m 14 Ja n u a r y P r i nt Ro o m a t the C o ro ne t ritten by Pulitzer Prize finalist Will Eno, this play follows a traveller as he W searches for human connection in a new place. Funny and sad, this play tries to find out what makes somewhere 'home'. ◆ 103 Notting Hill Gate, W11; the-print-room.org

Un til 29 Jan uary L ondon P r in t Studio

This interactive show features illustrations and cut-outs from the latest children's books. Curated by awardwinning children's book illustrator Frann Preston-Gannon, this art trail creates a place where the kids can read, draw and tell stories. Magical and enchanting, this makes for a wonderfully fun and creative day out.

425 Harrow Road, W10; londonprintstudio.org.uk

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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ARCHITECTS AS ARTISTS

T h ro u gh o u t Ja n u a r y Vi c to r i a a nd Al b e r t M u s e u m hy do architects create art? This exhibition from the V&A and the W Royal Institute of British Architects looks to ancient history for an explaination of the relationship between the two disciplines. ◆ Cromwell Road, SW7; vam.ac.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE / WHAT'S ON

DARLENE & ME

THE DESERT HOUSE © ANJA NIEMI

Fro m 1 5 Ja n u a r y Li ttl e B l a c k G a ll e r y elling the fictional tale of a woman named Darlene T and the complex relationship that she has with herself, Norwegian photographer Anja Niemi exposes the unpredicability of a woman's mind.

On one day secure, comfortable and confident the other riddled with internal conflict and anger, the result is strikingly beautiful. ◆ 13A Park Walk, SW10; thelittleblackgallery.com

DON’T MISS

FARE HEALTHY

Cirque du Soleil From 6 Ja n u ar y R o y a l Al be r t Hall

Returning to the Royal Albert Hall with awe-inspiring new show Kooza, Cirque du Soleil's latest spectacular sees contrortionists and trapeze artists combine acrobatics and clowning to tell the story of a loner in search of the place he belongs. An electrifying and exotic world of sheer delight.

24 Januar y Paradise by way of Kensal Green ive your resolutions a G fighting chance this January by attending the Fare Healthy food, fitness and wellbeing event. Headlined by nutritionists and bestselling writers Hemsely + Hemsley, founder of the elusive and exclusive workout group the SBC, Russell Bateman, and creator of free-from cereal Qnola, Danielle Copperman. Do not miss. ◆ 19 Kilburn Lane, W10; peardrop.com/fare-healthy

Kensington Gore, SW7; royalalberthall.com

EVENT OF THE MONTH © NICK HEDGES / NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM, BRADFORD

Throughout January, Science Museum

MAKE LIFE WORTH LIVING ommissioned by the housing and homelessness charity Shelter, documentary photographer Nick Hedges set out to capture the appalling housing conditions for those living in poverty during the late 1960s on film. Now, following a 40 year restriction to protect the anonymity of the subjects, these images are on display for the very first time.

Discover this compelling collection of

C

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hard-hitting images in context with detailed notes from Hedges' pocketbook describing his travels, encounters and feelings. With British poverty back in the public's psyche, these mid-20th century scenes make it hard not to think about today's equally bleak situation. u Exhibition Road, SW7; sciencemuseum.org.uk

JANUARY 2015

11/12/2014 16:45

N G I DES E L SA

Cenova sofa: NOW 25% off in any fabric or leather

SAVE UP TO

50%

The BoConcept Winter Design Sale is now on. Enjoy great savings of up to 25% on our furniture and accessories with unmissable deals of up to 50% off our clearance and ex-display items.

Drop by to see these and all the other great offers available exclusively in-store. And, don't forget our friendly and professional design consultants are on hand to offer you our free interior design service to help you make the best out of your home.

BoConcept Notting Hill: 18-24 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5RH T 0207 792 4111 boconcept.co.uk See our SALE OFFERS in-store now

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C U LT U R E r o u n d u p

ARTS & CULTURE / CALENDAR

THE AGENDA

Our selection of the month's cultural highlights Wo r d s P E A R L B OY D

SINGING SENORITA

ocal luminary Tamsin Greig has made a convincing transformation into an Almodovar woman for the new stage adaptation of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. It’s a musical version of Pedro Almodovar’s first major hit, the Oscarnominated film that was an international success in 1988– and Greig said: ‘If it's true that you are only as good as the company you keep, then I am in very safe hands. And I feel very fortunate to have been encouraged – well, bullied – by my agent to have singing lessons.’ The show opens at the Playhouse Theatre on 12 January. u womenonthevergemusical.com

L

The UNSTOPPABLE DIXON Furniture – Sandwiches – and now a Hotel

BELT UP

he Idler Academy's courses are becoming more and more diverse T every term, with options for selfimprovement spanning taxidermy and elocution alongside original favourites such as the Introduction to Modern Philosophy and Ukulele for Beginners. Our recommendation this month is the Make a Leather Ukulele Strap or Belt class with Bill Amberg, who recently created the most fabulous camera bag for Leica (above). It’s a two-part evening course in which you’ll learn to stitch, tool and rivet on 14 and 21 January. u idler.co.uk

T

om Dixon may be the designer du jour but is he risking overexposure by giving his name to a sandwich bar in Harrods? The stylish new eaterie is simply called Sandwich and features a predictable enough menu of bread-based offerings including the London Porker and a poached lobster roll, served in surroundings dominated by brass lighting fixtures, upholstered club

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chairs and marble-covered tables from Dixon’s range. But he is also the man behind Mondrian London at Sea Containers, SE1’s fabulous new riverside hotel, which showcases his unique vision throughout – we are particularly loving the lifts, pictured.

The hotel belongs to the uber stylish international Morgans Hotel Group that includes the Sanderson as well as the Hudson in New York and the Delano in Miami. u tomdixon.net

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 09:52

For Dining or Table Reservations, Event Enquiries or Guestlist please contact reservations@modecollective.com T F @VoiceofMODE

X @ModeCollective

12 Acklam Road, Notting Hill, London, W10 5QZ

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ARTS & CULTURE / SOCIAL

Absolutely's Third Birthday t's hard to believe that three years have passed since our first issue hit the printers. To celebrate in true style, we threw a party at Mode Collective, drank delicious espresso martini cocktails courtesy of Absolute Vodka and ate canapés by the fabulous Ravenous.

With music from DJ Harry Love, an aerial show from Aerialand and fire eating, the entertainment was hot. To top it all off, goodie bags included Hummingbird Bakery cupcakes, Get Taxi credits and Aésop cosmetics meaning we got home full, safe and fresh. See you again next year, Notting Hill.u

PHOTOGRAPHY: REBECCA NOONAN

I

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JANUARY 2015

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FASHION NOTES

p. 20

PROFILE: ALICE TEMPERLEY

p. 22

MADELEINE THOMPSON'S MOODBOARD

p. 27

JEWELLERY

p. 37

TRACK STAR Bimba y Lola's Spanish style proves very popular in Westbourne Grove and we love the sporty feel to the SS15 collection. bimbaylola.com

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:33

boutique S p o t l i g h t

STUDIO 54 Kensal Rise

The new season's looks have landed and SS15 is looking fantastic

By pendle harte

words helen baron

ensah Vintage has been trading Portobello Road for years, as M in well as privately by appointment – and now pieces from the carefully curated range are for sale in Kensal Rise. 54 College Road – aka Studio 54 – is a local shop with an organic feel, shared by Sarah McHale of Mensah Vintage and hairstylist and colour specialist Julia Straker.

Hair appointments take place in friendly, welcoming surroundings (breastfeeding is fine, children are welcome) and Mensah’s signature mix of stylish hand-selected vintage designer labels includes Ferragamo, Jean Muir, Moschino, Gucci, Herve Leger, YSL and Hermes. Sarah can help you find what you're after and will suggest things you'd never have considered, while an ever-increasing range of small accessories and pop-up sales currently includes a selection of childrenswear from Their Nibs and Little Duckling, plus Shona Patterson’s quirky vintage childrenswear. You can pick up a copy of local journalist Rose Rouse's recently published (and very entertaining) ode to the area A London Safari: Walking Adventures in NW10 too. u

Super Girl S u k i Wa t e r h o u s e fo r S u p e r g a

● STUDIO 54 54 College Road NW10; studio@54Collegerd @juliastrakerhairdesign @herbiemensahvintage herbiemensahvintage.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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Model-of-the-moment and Chiswick resident, Suki Waterhouse, has turned her hand to fashion design, creating a Limited Edition range for Italian tennis shoe brand Superga. The collection of heartembellished ‘flatform’ trainers is available in three candy colours.

Catch them while you can... £65, available from myfashiontribu.com

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FASHION / NOTES 6 of the best

PIECES OF GREAT

BLANKET COATS

Oscar de la Renta

A tad summery it may be, but we just couldn’t resist this parrotembroidered full-pleated skirt by the dear departed Oscar de la Renta. Influenced by Japanese artistry, this piece is silk-lined and fitted at the waist – perfect for al fresco lunches if you’re headed away for some winter sun. £1,725; harrods.com

01

GOODY TWO SHOES French Sole

Two-tone colour can be a difficult trend to pull off, but these gorgeous ‘Penelope’ pointed flats by French Sole in contrasting suede tick all the right sartorial boxes. Team with a blazer and cigarette pants for a timelessly elegant look. Penelope Navy and Purple Suede Leather Flats, £160; frenchsole.com 02

SNOW DAY Claudie Pierlot

Claudie Pierlot has managed a magnificent fashion feat by deftly combining fringing with none other than... a parka. And not just any old parka: a shiny, knee-length wonder with faux fur collar. The winter collection puts a decidedly urban spin on the brand’s usual contemporary classics. claudiepierlot.com

03

04

CROWN JOULES Joules

We love quintessentially British clothing brand Joules, but stores are, sadly, few and far between.

Good news, then, for us west Londoners, as a shiny new Joules pop-up has just opened its doors in Westfield. Jolly good.

Westfield, Ariel Way, W12; joules.com

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05

06

1. PLUMO Blanket Cardigan, £149; plumo.com 2. JIGSAW Geo Wool Blanket Coat, £149; jigsaw-online.com 3. TOAST Tapestry Knit House Coat, £225; toa.st 4. AGNONA Cashmere Colourblocked Coat, £4,165; stylebop.com 5. MONSOON Chester Blanket Coat, £129; mytheresa.com 6. APRICOT Faux Fur Blue & Yellow Aztec Blanket Wrap, £29; apricotonline.co.uk

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:30

INTERVIEW

Ask

ALICE Notting Hill's fashion designer Alice Temperley on children, celebrity and meeting the queen Wo r d s e d w i n a l a n g l e y

ABSOLUTELY Tell us about your newest collection…

ALICE TEMPERLEY For Summer ‘15 I focused on a full dayto-evening offering in a relaxed, modern and versatile style.

ABS You grew up on a farm in Somerset – how did that lead to designing?

AT From a very young age I made things out of fabric and paint. I also sold earrings I had made for pocket money from the age of eight. Around the age of 11, we got our first television and I fell in love with the glamour of black and white films. This was where my clothes-making began; it was escapism into another world. I studied Textiles and Print [at Central Saint Martins] and made clothes to sell in order to pay my way through college.

ABS Your husband works with you. How did you meet?

AT I met my husband while working in the Met Bar. Five months later, we met again at a party. He proceeded to woo me with dates and then, after some time, I decided that he was actually very special.

ABS How did having a child change things? [her son Fox was born in 2008] AT I had no idea how much having a child would change my whole world. Everything else comes second. Time for yourself is just so minimal. I look at women like Stella [McCartney] with four kids or Anya Hindmarch with five and think, they can do it, so surely it’s possible. I always wanted four children but, if I’m lucky enough to have any more, I’d be happy with two or three.

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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FASHION / PROFILE

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 11:19

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FASHION / PROFILE I COLLECT THINGS all the time.

Inspiration is

THE FUN BIT

ABS Can you describe your design process?

AT I work very organically starting with the inspiration, which could be art, music, photography. This leads into colour and stories by technique, print, lace and appliqué etc. We build a fully elaborate story on our moodboards, create a muse and then start sketching. Pattern-making and lots of fittings follow. And then we go and see our suppliers and put all our show samples into work.

ABS What inspires you?

AT Everything that is around me – music, art, museums, travel... I am very lucky that I am constantly inspired by my surroundings and I collect things all the time. Inspiration is the fun bit.

ABS Where are your clothes made and how do source the materials?

AT I source my fabric from various places, primarily in Italy for

laces and for all our woven jacquards. The best mills are around Lake Como.

ABS How do beautiful clothes make you feel?

AT The joy that you can give somebody through what they wear is pretty amazing.

For me, it’s about people leaving my shop happy. I believe our designs make women feel comfortable yet sensual.

ABS You’re known for throwing fancy dress parties. What was the best one?

AT I’ve thrown fancy dress parties since I was sixteen. I love them all, but ‘Leather, Lace, Debauchery and Grace’ was a good one. We had another which was just ‘Sequins.’ So simple, yet everybody looked unbelievable, twinkling in the sunset.

ABS The Duchess of Cambridge has worn many of your designs. What does this mean to you?

AT Of course, it is very flattering.

ABS Is celebrity endorsement important?

AT Celebrity endorsement is, of course, good exposure for a brand, and good for awareness.

But it doesn’t faze me when celebrities wear my clothes. I once had an actress in the shop who clearly wanted special treatment, but that’s not what I’m about.

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ABS Whose style do you admire?

AT My mother and the women around me. People with individual style that are not label slaves and who mix things up effortlessly.

ABS How did you find out about your MBE ( for Services to Fashion) and what happened when you met the Queen?

AT It was an honour to meet the Queen, she was very knowledgeable and I was a little overwhelmed. When the letter came through I actually thought my assistant was joking at first.

ABS What would your typical outfit be for: a) A work day AT A three piece suit, a white shirt and our Temperley London lace-ups from the Summer ‘15 collection b) The weekend The same, but a different three piece suit perhaps. I am having a suit moment!

ABS If you hadn’t become a designer, you would have been…?

A photographer or painter – there is still time for this. u 6-7 Colville Mews, Lonsdale Road, W11 temperleylondon.com

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 11:19

www.chicandseek.com 020 7243 6073 | 98 Portland Road, W11 4LQ

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FASHION / MOODBOARD

MY STYLE

Madeleine Thompson, cashmere designer, W8 MY FAVOURITE PIECES OF ART are Candida Hofer’s

beautiful pictures of Libraries. The scale in her work is immense and reflects the history of each place that she photographs.

MY STYLE ICON

is Talitha Getty – I love the ways he dressed and styled herself. In terms of contemporary icons Kate Moss is a constant influence in how she puts a look together – she’s the embodiment of effortless cool.

FROM MY CURRENT STOCK

t’s impossible to choose a favourite - I adore the Wilderness jumper; a two tone grey sweatshirt with a neon pop of orange on the shoulders. It’s a nod to casual sportswear but also super luxe.

I also love the new long sleeved black Hannah body – frankly what could be more chic than a cashmere body?!

MY FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION

is Sri Lanka – it’s just the most beautiful country with wonderful people. We stayed in Galle Fort which is an old Dutch fort with a long stretch of white sandy beaches for miles – idyllic.

MY FAVOURITE DESIGNER

is Erdem. He is so current and at the forefront of the London fashion scene, yet his work harks back to the golden age of couture with stunningly intricate details.

MY FAVOURITE ITEMS OF CLOTHING

are my Chloe Susannah boots.

They go with everything without making the outfit take itself too seriously.

madeleine-thompson.com

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:59

Goo d ni ght

SWEET HEART Adorn yourself in sumptuous silk for slumber time this winter Photography Helen McArdle Styling Charlie Moore

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Tulle baby doll £345, by Agent Provocateur White cotton bodysuit (underneath), £130, by Simone Perele On right hand gold love bite ring, £85, by Maria Black, gold ring from a selection at Alex Monroe On left hand ring from a selection by Alex Monroe

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12/12/2014 10:38

Cashmere Roll-Neck Sweater, £325, Issa

Cashmere sweater, £109, by Pure Collection Silk chiffon bra, £79 and matching knickers, £49, both by Made By Niki

FashionShoot_Jan_5pp.indd 30

12/12/2014 10:38

Gold lace chemise, £330, by Gilda & Pearl at Selfridges Nude silk bra, £57.50 and matching knickers £48 (underneath chemise), by Damaris On right hand - 14 carat gold plated star ring, £29, by Annie Haak 22 carat gold plate baroque ring, £132, by Alex Monroe On left hand - rings from a selection by Alex Monroe

FashionShoot_Jan_5pp.indd 31

12/12/2014 10:39

Silk Black and White Striped Pyjama Shirt, £330, as part of a set, by Olivia Von Halle at Fenwicks Left hand - Beige Gold and Diamond Coin Ring, £3,805, and Brushed Gold Ring (right hand), £1,630, and Gold and Diamond Loupe Pendent, £3,780, all by Dina Kamal at Dover Street Market

STOCKISTS

Photography Helen McArdle at Kayte Ellis Agency Styling: Charlie Moore Make up: Helen Asher at ERA Management using M.A.C Hair: Jason Crozier for No.74 Hair and Beauty London using Bumble & Bumble Model: Charlotte Pallister at Select With thanks to The Apartments by The Sloane Club, 52 Lower Sloane Street, SW1W, 020 7730 9131; sloaneclub.co.uk

FashionShoot_Jan_5pp.indd 32

winderlondon.com princessetamtam.co.uk sarrieri.com houseoffraser.co.uk purecollection.com madebyniki.co.uk selfridges.com anniehaak.com fenwick.co.uk doverstreetmarket.com alexmonroe.com maria-black.com damaris.co.uk winserlondon.com

12/12/2014 10:39

INTELLIGENT WEIGHT LOSS Give us 42 days and we will re-shape your body and re-wire the way you eat – once and for all.

For nearly two decades our clients have lost weight, found true fitness and discovered a balanced way of living that will outlast a thousand fads.

The Intensive Programme combines our intelligent eating method with world-class personal training in your own home. For six weeks we sculpt your body with metabolic workouts tailored just for you.

Your body fat levels will plummet and your metabolism will soar. Our dietitians coach you and monitor your body composition weekly to ensure you’re right on track. Most women lose twenty pounds, men thirty.

The Optimum Weight Loss Programme personally coaches you for 12 weeks from our Belgravia Clinic, wherever you are in the world. By following our nutrition method, you shed body fat and learn how to eat beautifully forever.

We know results are important so that’s exactly what we give you, along with a blueprint for lasting success.

2 E ATON GATE | BELGRAVIA LONDON | SW1W 9BJ 0044 203 427 5863 INFO@LOUISEPARKER.UK.COM W W W.LOUISEPARKER.UK.COM

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09/12/2014 12:35

Start off the New Year on the right foot...

SHOES MADE ANYWHERE ELSE ” “ I WOULDN’T HAVE MY-Kathleen Turner

ANTHONY ANDREWS BESPOKE CELEBRITY SHOE DESIGNER FOR LADIES & GENTLEMEN

12 New Cavendish Street, W1G 8UN 020 7486 4664 | info@specialfootwear.co.uk | www.specialfootwear.co.uk

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08/12/2014 09:51

FASHION / WARDROBE

ADAM LIPPES

Reversible Wool and CashmereBlend Cape, £1,515; net-a-porter.com

T BY ALEXANDER WANG,

Olive Quilted Shell Jogging Trousers, £335; harveynichols.com

PLUMO

Elgin Scarf in Pink, £59; plumo.com

L.K. BENNETT

Scarlet Kid Leather Ankle Boot, £325; lkbennett.com

JAEGAR

Silk Spot Grid Blouse, Ivory/Black, £180; johnlewis.com

THE ROW

Agra Twill Midi Skirt, £875; harrods.com ©AW14 VALENTINO

KARL LAGERFELD

Phylissia Stretch-Jersey Jumpsuit, £165; net-a-porter.com

MISSONI

Peacock Swing Coat, £3,775; harrods.com

CAROLINE CHARLES

JIGSAW

Tote Wool Skirt, £395; carolinecharles.co.uk

Knitted Double Zip Biker, Cranberry, £149; johnlewis.com

CHECKS & BALANCE

JOULES

Fieldcoat Tweed Jacket, Marwood Tweed, £229; johnlewis.com

ROKSANDA

Riley Belted Dupion Dress, £850; harveynichols.com

Keep your body in check this January

MSGM

Tweed Flatform Skate Shoes, £290; harveynichols.com

RUSSELL & BROMLEY

Laddie Brogue Lace-Up, £255; russellandbromley.co.uk

ROSE & WILLARD

Rhizic Leather Skirt, £280; roseandwillard.com

35 CH_Nov_Fashion_Products.indd 35

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:34

BOUTIQUE SPA Nails • Beauty • Massage “We only use the highest quality products for our treatments.

All of our therapists are passionate about providing the best in class beauty treatments. We believe that quality treatments should be very good value... That is why we are the most famous beautician in London...”

Owner, Nicole Thobani

Recommended by

MANICURE AND PEDICURE ESPA MASSAGES ESPA FACIALS LASER HAIR REMOVAL WAXING AND THREADING EYELASH TREATMENTS SPRAY TAN

Boutique Spa, 123 Queensway, London, W2 4SJ Call 020 7221 8017 - www.boutiquespa.co.uk

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18/11/2014 11:58

ABSOLUTELY / JEWELLERY

Winter Sparkles 1

2

3

8

6

4

7

5

1. CARTIER, PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER COLLECTION NECKLACE IN YELLOW GOLD, BLACK LACQUER AND DIAMONDS, £17,200; cartier.co.uk 2. GRAFF, BRIOLETTE 44.23CT AQUAMARINE AND 3.01CT DIAMOND EARRINGS, POA; graffdiamonds.com 3. CHOPARD, LIMITED EDITION SPARKLING TIMEPIECE FROM THE GREEN CARPET COLLECTION IN 18CT WHITE ‘FAIRMINED’ GOLD, WITH MARQUISE CUT 7.35CT DIAMONDS, POA; chopard.com 4. BULGARI, MVSA RING IN 18CT PINK GOLD WITH BLUE TOPAZ AND PAVÉ DIAMONDS, POA; bulgari.com 5. TESSA PACKARD, SMILING BUDDHA EARRINGS IN 18CT YELLOW GOLD, CITRINE AND CARVED YELLOW JADE, £9,200; tessapackard.com 6. BOODLES, LIZ EARLE ROSE PELARGONIUM NECKLACE IN ETHICALLY SOURCED PINK SAPPHIRES, ROSE AND WHITE GOLD, £1,600; boodles.com 7. CASSANDRA GOAD, SAN LUCA CROSS IN 9CT YELLOW GOLD, £315; cassandragoad.com 8. TIFFANY & CO. SCHLUMBERGER®, FIVE LEAVES CLIP IN 18CT GOLD WITH ROUND BRILLIANT DIAMONDS IN PLATINUM, £17,900; tiffany.co.uk

37 CH_Dec_JEWELLERY.indd 37

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:53

TEN PILATES.indd 2

09/12/2014 11:56

> BEAUTY NOTES

p. 40

THE MAKE-UP INSIDER

p. 47

OUR GUIDE TO GETTING FIT IN 2015

p. 49

HAUTE SPORT Clock up serious style points with the Mary Katrantzou for Adidas collection, which ranges from show-stopping dresses and skirts to sweatshirts, and will take you straight from crosstrainer to curb. matchesfashion.com

39 NH_JAN_BEAUTY_OPENER.indd 39

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 09:38

SA LO N R e v i e w

TAYLOR TAYLOR Portobello Road

A room full of roses, illuminating creams and make up to end all make up W o r d s r o m y va n d e n b r o e k e

Wo r d s p e n d l e h a r t e

omeone – I forget who, but they definitely had nice hair – S revealed in a magazine recently that the secret to flawless colour is to find a female colourist. It sounds silly and of course there are many, many excellent male ones out there, but when I met Sam at Taylor Taylor, something about those words rang true and she is now officially my new favourite colourist. Not only is she chatty and fun, but she has an instinctive understanding of what my hair should look like. Which is more than I do, arriving to see her in the wake of having my hair coloured misguidedly. 'It's too dark for you,' she says immediately. This awardwinning salon has branches in east and west London as well as in the Maldives and it feels glamorous, luxurious and a touch quirky.

Sam's pet bulldog roams around lazily in the room full of chandeliers and gold details.

Sam chooses some colours and applies them using balayage, an alternative to the traditional foil highlights that works by painting the colour onto the hair and avoiding the dreaded stripy hair look.

My locks emerge looking subtly sunkissed and I'm assured that I won't need to return for ages. Though now that Taylor Taylor has launched a revolutionary new split ends treatment, I might be back sooner, asking for Sam, of course. u

FACE UP Charlotte Tilbury

New Year, new you, this January is time for total revival of your make-up bag, and there's nowhere better to get it all from than W11-based make-up artist du jour, Charlotte Tilbury. charlottetilbury.com

● TAY L O R TAY L O R 309t Portobello Road, W10, 020 8960 8569; taylortaylorlondon.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

B&C_Jan_Beauty_Notes.indd 40

40 12/12/2014 09:36

HEALTH & BEAUTY / NOTES fresh scent A New Fragrance F o r A N e w Yo u

editor’s

PICK 01

WORLDLY WONDERS Jo Malone

02

Curated by Style Editor Charlotte Stockdale, the January launch of her My Wanderlust collection showcases stylishly packaged products inspired by her travels around the world. Prices Vary; jomalone.co.uk

FRESH THINKING D iptyque

03

For the freshest smelling room and to get you in the mood for spring, invest in Diptyque's Rosafolia scented candle, which contains notes of rose and ivy. £44; diptyqueparis.com 04

LIGHT IT UP Givenchy

06

Refresh your face with Givenchy's new Hydra Sparkling High Moisturizing Luminescence Sap-Serum. The serum contains commiphora sap, which has been created to target the skins many layers and give a triple plumping, tightening and restructuring effect.

Available on 20th January, £46; givenchy.com 05

07

LI P THERAPY A la Carte

Keeping your lips moisturised and nutrified this chilly January doesn't mean they can't look chic.

A la Carte's moisture rich 'Ace of Hearts' lipstick is the perfect way to keep your pout popping. £23; alacartelondon.com

41 B&C_Jan_Beauty_Notes.indd 41

1. JEAN PATOU, HERITAGE COLLECTION PART TWO, QUE SAIS-JE, £150; harrods.com 2. VERSACE, EROS, £64; selfridges.com 3. BYREDO PARFUMS, FLOWERHEAD, £130; byredo.com 4. CHLOE, LOVE STORY, £68; fruugo.co.uk 5. DIPTYQUE, EAU PLURIELLE, £55; diptyqueparis.com 6. SANTA EULALIA, OBSCURO, £98; liberty.co.uk 7. MAGNOLIA NOBILE, ACQUA DI PARMA, £98; houseoffraser.co.uk

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 09:37

XXXXXXXX / XXXXXXXXX

BETTER

SHAPE UP An address book for all your good intentions in 2015

GOLBORNE DELI This independent is passionate about its coffee and food, using only locally sourced ingredients.

Serving Anglo-Mediterranean dishes, sandwiches and breakfasts to die for, caffeine lovers can revel in the fact they’re drinking coffee from sustainable farmers, while gluten avoiders can enjoy the full menu too. With years of catering experience and a passion for healthy local produce, you will be well looked after here. 100 Golborne Road, W10; 020 8969 6907 golbornedeli.com

WESTWAY SPORTS & FITNESS Climb, kick and hit the New Year running at Westway Sports & Fitness centre, which boasts some of the tallest climbing walls in the UK, a range of astroturf football pitches and eight indoor tennis courts. The Sports & Fitness Club provides over 70 group exercise classes, an 88 station gym and squash. Join in 2015!

Westway Sports & Fitness Centre, 1 Crowthorne Road, W10 6RP, 020 8969 0992; Westway Sports & Fitness Club, 3-5 Thorpe Close, W10 5XL, 020 8962 5753

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

NH_Jan_NY_FEATURE.indd 42

TENPILATES TenPilates is the home of Dynamic Pilates; innovative, intense and results driven. One of the most effective body-sculpting workouts available anywhere, it delivers results – fast.

Together with the Therapists at TenPhysio, they’re able to offer an expert and uniquely integrated combination of Pilates, HiiT, Barre and TRX Classes, Pysiotherapy, Sports Massage and bespoke Personal Training. tenpilates.com

42 12/12/2014 09:29

ABSOLUTELY XXXXXXXXX//PROMOTION XXXXXXXX

FB PERSONAL TRAINING

SMART & BALANCED

Personal Trainer and Yoga Teacher Francesca Blechner believes 'Your Health is your Wealth', working with clients at home to deliver group and individual yoga fitness sessions. Combining Dynamic Yoga, bodyweight strength and muscle tension release, it's a winning formula for anyone wanting to improve athleticism, flexibility, strength and tone.

07888 654 617; info@fb-personaltraining.co.uk; fb-personaltraning.co.uk

Smart & Balanced (S&B), sister brand to Ravenous, is London's largest provider of freefrom wheat and dairy, alkalizing food for the events, shoots and conferences. Do not mistake the elimination of wheat and dairy from cooking as doing without – rather S&B has been an enlightening journey of discovering new oils and grains and flours to create a menu range that doesn't compromise on taste. ravenous.info

NY PILATES Pilates is for every body. Men, women and children. Young and old. People recovering from injury. People losing weight. People with back pain. Runners. Athletes. Dancers.

Pregnant women. Post-natal recovery. By developing flexibility, lean muscle and a strong core, Classical Pilates can give you a body that's ready for anything. This is London's centre of excellence for classical pilates.

43–47 Lonsdale Road, NW6 6RA, 020 7372-3490, info@nypilates.co.uk; nypilates.co.uk

EGO

PEACOCK PILATES

Queen's Park's favourite hairdresser is Andy Loizou at Ego, who not only has a talent for the precision cut but also provides a friendly face and a warm welcome. Ego is a salon with a loyal local following and its team of creative stylists provide a phenomenal hairdressing experience and exceptional service in a relaxed glamourous atmosphere. You don't need to be a star to be treated like one. 45 Salusbury Road, NW6; 020 7625 4811; egohair.co.uk

Peacock Pilates is an exclusive boutique studio based in London W2. Peacock offers 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 private sessions on the reformer and other equipment. Doing Pilates individually or in pairs achieves fantastic (and fast) body changing results. The studio founder, Tania Franses, is utterly passionate about Pilates and she will work with you to transform your body. By appointment only. 020 7262 2210, info@peacock-pilates.com; peacock-pilates.com

FRAME Always one step ahead, FRAME put their own stamp on the most effective and enjoyable elements of the latest fitness trends. With over 550 classes on their timetable each week across their Shoreditch & Queens Park studios, you can pick and mix your classes to make sure you and your body never get bored.

Perfect for those want to inject a bit of fun into their fitness regime for 2015.

27 Beethoven Street, W1 0 4LG, 0208, 960 9649; moveyourframe.com

43 NH_Jan_NY_FEATURE.indd 43

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 09:30

West London’s Top TRX Suspension Trainer Former Personal Trainer for Cosmopolitan Magazine and Top 12 Men’s Health Cover model finalist Providing physique changing training at home or in the gym at Westway Sports and Fitness • TRX training • • Kettlebells • • CrossFit Level 1 Trainer • • Boxing and Kickboxing • • Weight Training •

www.nikoalgieri.com \ niko@nikoalgieri.com | online training and nutrition available

NIKO HALF.indd 1

_ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 1

11/12/2014 14:21

12/12/2014 11:24

HEALTH & BEAUTY / PRODUCTS SHIFF

Soothing Body Oil, £50, uk.spacenk.com

SUPER FACIALIST BY UNA BRENNAN

Cleansing Oil, £10.99, boots.com

PUR

ELEMIS

Melt Away Makeup Emulsifier, £15, marksandspencer.com

De-Stress Massage Oil, £33, timetospa.co.uk

RMK

Cleansing Oil, £29, selfridges.com

RMS

Beauty Oil, £60, cultbeauty.co.uk

SUQQU

Reset Cleansing Oil, £33, harrods.com

DECLEOR

A SLICK OF OIL

Aromessence White Brightening Serum, £49.50, decleor.co.uk

Arabella Preston discovers the best oils for winter skin

JO MALONE

Velvet Rose & Oud Dry Body Oil, £48, jomalone.co.uk

OSKIA

Restoration Oil, £60, oskiaskincare.com

FRESH

Seaberry Face Oil, £28.60, amazon.co.uk

DIPTYQUE

Precious Oils, £42, diptyqueparis.co.uk

45 NH_JAN_BEAUTY_PRODUCTS.indd 45

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 09:51

Sali’s

Hair & Beauty Spa London At Sali’s Hair & Beauty Spa, we have a passion for creating hair styles and beauty treatments inspired by the latest trends. We use state of the art technology Caci to offer non surgical face and body lifts while our Lite-Flo machine is perfect for quick and painless hair removal.

30%

OPENING TIMES Monday - Saturday 9AM-6PM Sunday 10AM - 5PM

OFF THE LASER HAIR REMOVAL COURSES

3 Formosa Street, Little Venice, London, W9 1EE | info@salishairsalon.co.uk | www.salishairsalon.co.uk | 020 7286 1761

SALIS.indd 1

12/12/2014 11:24

HOLLAND PARK DENTAL CENTRE

New Year, New You: You are NEVER too old to have the straight teeth you always dreamed of.

Holland Park Dental Centre has made that dream even easier to achieve: To celebrate the New Year and the appointment of internationally recognised specialist orthodontist Dr Anthony Lam, Holland Park Dental Centre has a NEW YEAR, NEW YOU offer to make you smile: Orthodontic Consultation at the SPECIAL RATE of £55.00 with FREE tooth whitening at the completion of every orthodontic treatment.

The centre offers a range of orthodontic treatments, including Invisalign, the virtually invisible braces which are almost impossible for people to see you are wearing.

Now there is nothing stopping you from realising your dreams in the New Year.

For additional exciting discounts visit www.hollandparkdental.co.uk Free tooth whitening at the completion of every orthodontic treatment, embarked upon during the promotional period until 30 January 2015.

020 7603 4155 AFTER

Holland Park Dental.indd 1

_ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 2

BEFORE

Holland Park Dental Centre, 170 Holland Park Avenue, London, W11 4UH

12/12/2014 11:25

12/12/2014 11:26

HEALTH & BEAUTY / MAKE-UP INSIDER LAURA MERCIER

Paint Wash in Petal Pink, £22, uk.spacenk.com

BOBBI BROWN

Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm, £42, bobbibrown.co.uk

BUTTER LONDON Nail Apothecary, £35, butterlondon.co.uk

Eye Opening Act available from Selfridges and narscosmetics.co.uk

Skin deep

Vintage Candy Cheeks Blusher, £20, selfridges.com

Wo r d s A R A B E L L A P R E S T O N

Terrybly Densiliss Concealer, £44, uk.spacenk.com

For January, what we want is a velvet glow. Here's how it's done

HOURGLASS

Veil Fluid Foundation, £50, uk.spacenk.com

RMK

BY TERRY

F

or me, the New Year is all about repairing December damage. In January, I am religious about proper cleansing and never let soap near my face. An oil or cream cleanser (such as this Elemis one) and a hot, damp flannel are the key to healthy, glowing skin. I could, and do, repeat those words time and time again, but they seem particularly pertinent in winter, when we battle with icy winds and the draining demands of the party season.

I’m not easily swayed by beauty product marketing these days, but the ‘youth’ and ‘bouncy’ of this Body Shop

mask had me at hello. In the morning, a quick flannel wash followed by the incredibly hydrating Bobbi Brown balm is all that’s needed to give me a lift.

I prefer what I call a ‘velvet glow’ on my skin in January. Not super-dewy, but definitely not flat or matte either. This oil-free Hourglass foundation does the job beautifully, and combined with a little of the By Terry anti-wrinkle concealer under my eyes, I begin to feel human again. A soft pink blush on the apples of my cheeks and a little dab of pink gloss on my lips and I’m good to go.

Lastly, my poor nails are always in a sorry way after Christmas. This Butter London Rescue Apothecary is going to solve all my woes. u

47 NH_JAN_Makeup_Insider.indd 47

ELEMIS

Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser, £29, timetospa.co.uk

THE BODY SHOP

Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask, £22, thebodyshop.co.uk

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:58

CONDITION SKILLS

HIGH IM PPED R CHALLENGE RD DRILL DR D RILL R RI I LL DYNAMIC D DY YN Y NAM NAMIC N AM A M MIC IC DYNAMIC DYNA D YNAM YNAMIC YNAMI YNA MIC MI M IC I C BILITY LIITY LITY L ITY FRE CH CHALLENGE C HALL HA LLE EN NGE GE MIN E RUNNING LEVEL CHI EE RE FREE F FR CHILDREN CHIL LDREN DREN OXIFY XIIF XIFY XIF X FY Y CH CHECK HECK H ECK FLEXIBILITY STAMINA C PUSH BOOT TC CA CAMP AM AM MP P FU F U OW BADMINTON RIPPED BOO TY TY TYLE YLE LE TRAIN TR T RA RAI R AI AI AMBITIONLEV LEVEL LEVE LE VEL VE V EL E L DAILY

MEMBER

BREATH BREA BREAT BRE BR EA E AT A TH T H FLOW GS TTA BODITRAX BODIT BO B ODITRAX O ODIT DITR DIT RA R AX A X TARGET ARGET ARG A RGET RGE RG ET E T

ITION

BOOT CAMP

SPECIALISED A ATHLETIC AT TH T HLETIC HL H LE LETIC L ET ETIC E TIC TIC

MB M B GOAL M DP ND N IIN MIND MI PLAY PL PLA LA L AY A Y

BILITY LIT LITY L TY TY

PETE ETE ET E TE

FLO FL O FOOTB

DETOXIFY DETOX DE D ET E TOX TO T OX O XIIIFY X IF FY F Y EDGE EDG ED E DGE D DG GE G E NETBALL NETBA NETB NE N ETB E TBA TB ALL A LL DAILY

REWA RE R EW E W

SELF-DEVELOPMENT SELF-DEVELOPME SELF-DEV SELF-D VELOPME VELOPME ELOPMENT ELOPMEN NT N T

ASHTANGA ASHTA A SHT SH TAN TA AN NGA NG GA GA INVIGORATED IINVIGORAT IN NV N VIGORA VI V IIGO GO G OR O RA R AT A TED T ED ASH ED

NETB NETB

FI

DETOXIFY DE D ETOX E TOXIFY TOXI TOX IIFY FY BUFF BUF BU B UFF UF U FF F F ILY FREE FR F REE R EE RUNNING ADULT BADMIN D ED E PPE PP IPP I RIPPED RIPP RI R INER B BL BLAST LAST L AST TENNIS TEN TE T EN ENN E NN N NIS N IS CLIMB CL LI LIM L IMB IM I MB M B TY C TY LIIITY LIT LITY L XIBIL XIBI EXIBI E LE L FLEXIBILITY FL F DRI DR D R STRENGTH STRENG ST S TRENG TRENG RENGT TH T H ZUMBA A ION TION T BIIT MBITION MB M AMBITION AM ILL LL DY PILAT PI P IILA LA LA GOAL GO G OAL O AL DYNAMIC D YNA YN NAMIC N AMIC A AM MIC M IC HEALTH HE H EA E ALTH AL A LTH L TH ATHLETE A TH T HLETE HL H LE LE ET TE T E ECK SO SOCIAL LIFESTYLE LIFE L LI IF IIFES FE F ES ES ST TYLE TY T YLE Y LE AT SOCIAL SOC CIAL C IAL CAMP AMP AM A MP MP HAR TONED F CHALLE CH C HALL HA H ALL IVESD DRILL DRI DRIL DR RIL R IL ILL I LL L L BOX BO B OX O X HOLISTIC FIVES DY D Y COACHING COACH HING H ING POW FUNCTIONAL FUN UN U NCTIO N CTION CTIO NA N AL A L STRONG COAC WARD ARD FFU ARD HATHA HAT HA H AT A THA TH T H HA A LIFEST L LIF IFES IFE IF ES E S E ELITE LITE FLEXIBLE VEL E EL L DRILL DR D RIL RI R IL IL LL L CHEST BO BOULDER BOU UL U LD LDER L DER ONEW ITION PLAY PL P LAY L AY MUSCLE D MUSCLE TON TONED TO T ONED ON O NED N ED FIVE IVE DETOXIFY DETOX DE DETO ETO E TOX TO XIFY XI X IFY I FY INSPIRATION INSPIRA INSPIR ATION F ATION SH S H SELF-DEVELOPMENT SELF-DE SELF-D EV VELOPME V ELOPMEN ELOPME NT T

LENGE EN EN ENGE NGE GE

MEMBERSHIP

GROUP EX

HIGH IGH IMPACT IMPA IIM MPA M PA P ACT A CT

BEING

BOOT CAMP

KAPPOW K KA APP AP A PP P PO P OW O W

ATH AT AT TH HB BACK BA ACK A CK

CARDIO CAR CA C AR A RDIO RD R DIO DI D IIO O HARDK KICK KI KIC IIC CK C K WWELLWELL-BEING WE ELLE LL-B LLBE B EIN EI NG J NG JO O INVIGORATE IIN INV INVIGO NV N VIGO VIGO IGOR RATE RA R ATE A TE

HIGH IM

STABILITY STA ST S TA T AB A BILITY B BIL IIL LIIIT LIT L TY T YH CONDIT HENCH HEN ENCH ENC EN C H D ND N CLIMB CL C LIM LI L IM I MB M B WIN FOOTBALL FOOTB FOOTBA F OOTBA OOTB ALL A LL TION TI TIO ON O NB PUSH PUS PU P USH US U SH S H FOR F OR O R FLEXIBILITY FLEXIBILIT FLEXIBILI FLEXIBIL IT TY T Y BREATH BR RE R EA E ATH A TH CLASS LAS L LA AS A SS S S PLAYFUL PLAY P PL LAY LA L AY A YF Y FU FUL F UL U L FOCUS FOC FO C CUS US HEALTH H HE E EA ALTH AL A L LTH TH ELIT E LIT LETE ETE ET E TE BOD TE BODY BO DY D Y CYCLE CY C YCLE Y CLE FREE RUN MPICS PICS S STABILITY STA ST TABIL TA AB A BIIL B IL LIIIT TY T YT TENNIS TE EN E NN N NIS N IS MUSCLE MUSC MU M US U SCL SC CLE C LE L EC COMBAT COM CO OM O MB M BA B AT A T WOM TAKE ADVANTAGE CHALLENGE WOMEN WO WOM MEN M EN ESH SHCON SH GOAL GO OAL BADMIN OAL CONDITION CO NDITION NDITION CHANCEG ROLLER ROLL RO LL LER HOCKEY LER

PERSONA PERSO PERSON NA NA

AINING A AI IINING NING

FUN FU F UN U N YOG SOCIAL SOC SO CIAL CI C IAL I AL FLOW FL F LOW L LO OW O W AGILI WALLMEN SQUASH WALL BOOK IN ADVANCE

DROP IN OR BOOK

Coaching Groups:

Pay and Play: An affordable way to play social, indoor tennis.

ELOPMENT ELOPM ELO ELOP PM PM ME EN E NT NT

NDSA six week, coached

course covering all areas of the game.

ORATED ORA OR O RA R ATED ATED

Drills: Work on the technical and tactical areas of your game with a coach.

Cardio Tennis:

SELF-DEVELOPMENT Get your heart pumping hitting balls to great music!

TRENGTH TRENG T RENGT RENG TH T H COACHING CO CONDI COND CON ND ND DYNAMIC DY D YNA YN NAMIC NAM N AM A MIC M IC

BLAST BL B L AST SPECIALISEDFRESH E LAST ZUMBA EDG ED D GE GET GE ET T MEMBERSHIP RIPPED EQUIPMENT CHALLE AMBITIONM D N ND I IN MIND MI MIN SOCIAL ED LEV ED PPED PPE IPP RIPPED RIPP R AL HOLISTIC

Y TY IT LIIT LIT L XIBIL EXIBI EXIBI LEXIBILITY LEXIBI L LE FLEXIBILITY ECK FFL

Westway Sports & Fitness Centre, 1 Crowthorne Road, London, W10 6RP

CAMP

ELOPMENT ELOPMENT

0208 969 0992

FIVES F IVES

FULL PAGE.indd 3

tennis@westway.org

FUNCTIONAL FU F UN U NCTIO CTION CTIO NA N AL A L

westway.org

F Y CCH FY IIFY XIIF OX OX TO T ET E DETOXIFY DE DETO DETOX D CHALLENGE HALL HA H ALLEN A ALL LLEN LLE LL EN E NGE NGE FLEXIB 12/12/2014 11:19

HEALTH AND BEAUTY / FITNESS

Hot Stuff

… AND WHAT TO WEAR

You won’t get fit without breaking a sweat.

Absolutely tests out some of the hottest fitness trends Wo r d s p e n d l e h a r t e

REBOUNDING AT FRAME

FIERCE GRACE YOGA

27 Beethoven Street W10

260 Kilburn Lane W10

ick up a small trampoline, place it at the front of the dance studio, jump on and start to bounce.

Sounds easy. As the class gets going the music picks up in both volume and speed and the uber-enthusiastic instructor has us kicking our knees up in time to the beat while our hands reach toward the ceiling.

Then we use the rebounder as a bed, upon which we work our abdominal exercises.

With fast paced sit-ups, leg raises and planks all taking place upon the unstable, springy platform, our middle muscles are put to the test. With the trampoline absorbing the shock rather than our joints, this high-intensity, low-impact workout leaves me hot, sweaty and smiling. uEH moveyourframe.com

oga is known for dividing people. Converts can become instant evangelists, preaching breath and adopting a uniform of expensive loungewear and matching yoga mats. The unconvinced look on, wondering what any of this has to do with ancient Indian spirituality. But of all the many types of yoga, it’s the hot yoga phenomenon that has possibly the most committed fans. You could even call it an addiction. This is the sweaty activity founded in California by Bikram Choudhury and brought to London 20 years ago by Michele Pernetta, who now runs six studios in London under the name Fierce Grace.

She rebranded last year, separating

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herself from Bikram and now offers a range of classes in place of the single 90-minute session that Bikram stipulates. This allows for a less rigid approach, able to cater to people’s individual concerns and injuries. It’s also rumoured to be slightly less hot – not that you’d notice as a novice because it is still really, really hot. The studio has a mirrored wall and a carpeted floor, and the heating is cranked up high. After about 15 minutes I notice a drop of sweat on my towel and it’s mine. 90 minutes of serious stretches in this heat leave you elated, feeling light and mobile (and drenched in sweat). Even after three sessions I notice more bend in my back and a longer stretch in my core.

If I keep this up I will definitely be doing headstands at 70. u fiercegrace.com

Fierce Grace

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Let’s be blunt. If you’re going to get sweaty, you don’t want to end up feeling like you’ve been swimming in your clothes.

It’s important to choose fabrics that are breathable and won’t retain moisture. We love the new collection by Suki Shufu, founded by gymnast-turned-yoga instructor Caroline White and stocked at Harrods. sukishufu.com

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:46

XXXXXX / XXXXXXX

JOIN OURCLUB The Park Club is a private members’ club with top-of-the-range facilities and classes. It’s where families come together, share time and meet new and old friends alike

BEST EQUIPMENT

he Park Club team are here to enhance your quality of your life T by encouraging regular physical activity, a healthy diet and a positive approach to life.

Throughout the club we are investing in your future. Having spent one million pounds on our gymnasiums, members can be assured they're using the very best equipment available.

Whether you want comfort, smoothness, efficiency, technology or entertainment, our Technogym Excite cardiovascular equipment in the gymnasium provides it all. Stay connected with your personal trainer (anywhere you go) via the Technogym Wellness cloud; keep in touch with friends

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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or work via Facebook, Twitter and email from your bike; choose to watch one of 32 TV channels, listen to the radio, surf the internet, play online games from each cardio machine – the choice is yours!

For those who like a little nostalgia, we are also incredibly proud to have the weight training machines from the Olympic 2012 London Olympics!

PERSONAL SERVICE

hile great equipment is vital, our most important asset is our team of personal trainers and the expert knowledge and time they have to assist you.

New members enjoy five one-to-one training sessions in their first month with one of our friendly, qualified personal trainers.

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Every one-hour session is tailored around each member’s personal goals and preferences.

We help those who have never set foot in a gym before, as well as those who train hard for competitive sport. Our expert staff will help you, whatever your fitness level.

After you’ve settled in, we carry on giving you a one-hour session with a personal trainer for each month of your membership. This helps to keep you motivated and allows your trainer to adjust your fitness plan as you continue making progress.

If group exercise is your preferred activity, we have highly experienced class instructors to motivate and stimulate you with over 100 classes a week included in your membership. For the sporty, we’ve amazing coaches ready to share their knowledge and enthusiasm in triathlon, tennis, football, karate, cricket and more!

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ABSOLUTELY / PROMOTION

RESULTS

acres, The Ark is dedicated to the indoor and outdoor play and development of our youngest members! For those with older children, there is coaching in all of the activities available to adults. The Park Club won’t tie you into an annual contract; we rely on the quality of our facilities and the results you will attain to keep you as a member.

You can enjoy our luxury fitness experience for less than you may have thought, especially with our off-peak membership which covers many traditional Clubs’ peak times.

The Park Club delivers an incredible range of flexible classes with professional staff and coaches for adults and children.

ith expert help and motivation included in your membership, you’re more likely to get the results you want. Especially using the very latest Technogym Excite + Cardio equipment.

Experience a gym where there is no queuing for equipment and discover studio classes where there is no need to book your class, just turn up.

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embers (young and old) are invited to participate in tennis, football, gymnastics, cricket, swimming, ballet and martial arts at a level they choose to pursue. We will serve as an inspiration to help you and your family make beneficial changes to your lifestyle, and increase your fitness level in your own time.

At The Park Club you can enjoy spending time relaxing in the family or adult bar or go al fresco on the terrace. Indulge yourself with a pampering treatment in The Park Club MediSpa where expert help is also on hand from our team led by Consultant Dermatologist, Dr Bela. Or experience an unrivalled calendar of brilliant social events where you’ll meet new friends. There’s so much to do at The Park Club. u

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For further membership information, please contact Marcus, Pippa or Alex on 020 8740 4599, email: marcus@theparklub.co.uk or visit theparkclub.co.uk

or busy parents we have our superb Ark in the Park crèche and day care nursery. Set in its very own 1.5

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CHOICE

● the park club

FREEDOM F

With extended indoor areas and wide-open spaces, we’ll ensure that no time is wasted in the pursuit of fun and relaxation.

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 09:22

NEW YEARS EVE 2014 MASQUERADE BALL Dress code: Black tie/ Suite / Ball gown/ Cocktail dress Obligatory: A mask of any type!

We will have Live bands and a DJ to finish up the after party!!

A photographer will be taking pictures to make good memories last!

Included in all of this is a 3 course dinner, a bottle of Prosecco and a New Years Eve to remember for only 45 pounds!!

Reservations for new years will only be taken via bookings@lisasportobello.com

OPENING HOURS MONDAY CLOSED TUESDAY - THURSDAY 18.00-00.00 FRIDAY - SATURDAY 11.00 - 00.00 - SUNDAY 11.00 - 17.00 07445 261 778 | BOOKINGS@LISASPORTOBELLO.COM | LISASPORTOBELLO.COM

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CLEANSING RECIPES FROM KARA ROSEN

p. 57

YOUR DETOX: DELIVERED

p. 58

EATING OUT – WORMWOOD W11

p. 63

PRET-A-PORTEA The Berkley Hotel is serving up a fashionista feast this winter with Pret-a-Portea in the Caramel Room every day from 1-6pm. The edible collection includes a Christopher Kane silk-organza peanut sponge cake, Valentino’s mini dress chocolate tartelette and Matthew Williamson macaroons. £55 per person with a glass of couture champagne; 020 7235 6000

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:43

E AT

SUSHI LONDON

We want to be your neighbourhood favourite. Our simple, fresh and tasty Japanese dishes will bring delight to you. You can come and dine in our cozy sushi bar, call for takeaway, or order for delivery.

We dont just sell fish! Eat Sushi provides lots of Japanese food including japanese curries, rice dishes and noodles.

Mention ABSOLUTELY when ordering a delivery and you’ll receive 20% off your bill * This offer can only be used once

020 8969 4386 | info@eat-sushi.co.uk 16 Station Terrace, Kensal Rise, London NW10 5RX www.eat-sushi.co.uk

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20/10/2014 15:19

GOODE & WRIGHT Goode & Wright an eclectic bistro in the heart of Notting Hill is now under new ownership thanks to manager, Alex Herb joining head chef Finlay Logan in the running of the restaurant. The menu boasts Great British produce with a gutsy French influence offering up dishes such as ‘Foie Gras with Gingerbread Ice Cream and Aged Balsamic’ and to top it all off they have recently launched a cutting edge cocktail list created by the innovative Matt Whiley of Talented Mr. Fox.

271 Portobello Road W11 1LR, London | +44(0)2077275552 | eat@goodeandwright.co.uk Monday Closed | Tue - Fri 11am - 11pm | Sat 9am - 4pm 7pm - 11pm | Sun 9am - 4pm

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20/10/2014 11:40

12/12/2014 11:27

FOOD & DRINK / NOTES RECIPE

COURGETTE AND AUBERGINE CURRY B y HE MS L EY & H E MSL EY Serves: 4 simple one-pot supper that is warming for the soul. The coconut and ginger have incredible immune-boosting properties.

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INGREDIENTS • 200g bar of creamed coconut (use the oil for frying) • 2 large onions, diced • 2 thumb-sized pieces of fresh root ginger (about 80g), grated • 6 large garlic cloves, diced • 200g red split lentils, rinsed • ½−1 litre water • 1 large aubergine, chopped into 1.5cm pieces • 4 large tomatoes, quartered • 2 large courgettes, diced • Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lime or lemon • 2 large pinches of sea salt • 1 tsp maple syrup • Handful roughly chopped coriander, mint or basil

TABLE TALK Zaika is back – but if you don't want to leave the house this month, there's a brilliant new delivery service ZAIKA RETURNS METHOD

In a large wide pan, dry fry the peanuts or cashews for a few minutes to toast them, roughly chop and set aside.

02 In the same pan, heat the coconut oil over a medium heat and fry the onion, ginger and garlic for 10 minutes until soft. 03 Add lentils, coconut solids and most of the water and stir well. This should be enough liquid for the coconut solids to dissolve, but keep an eye on the liquid levels so that the lentils don’t stick and burn. 04 After 6 minutes over a medium high heat, add the aubergine and stir. 05 After a further 10 minutes, add the tomato, courgette, lime or lemon zest and the salt. 06 After 6 minutes, turn off the heat and add the lime or lemon juice, the maple syrup and fresh herbs, then stir and taste. 07 Top with the nuts and serve with watercress. If we’re having guests round, we like to serve our curry with bowls of extras (nuts, herbs, lemon or lime wedges) so everyone can help themselves to extra toppings.

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Welcome back Zaika, which returns to its grand old site in W8 after a brief change of identity. Popular demand has brought the luxurious Northern Indian eaterie back to the former banking hall, with its menu fit for a king.

1 Kensington High Street, W8; zaikaofkensington.com

South Kensington's Partridges has launched a new collection of healthy food products all made by small, London based, food companies under the banner of Superfood Startisans. We love these dairyfree cocktail sorbets by Lush, as well as the Plenish juices, the Vereo healthy meals to go and the Biotiful Dairy drinks.

17-19 Gloucester Road SW7; partridges.co.uk

Hubbub hooray he clever people behing Hubbub have devised a brilliant new delivery service that brings together all the best produce from all our favourite local (and not so local) shops.

So, for instance, in one delivery we received goodies from the Portobello Mushroom man and George's Fisheries as well as Borough Wines, the Ginger Pig and the Spice Shop. Order online and you'll be spoilt for choice. hubbub.co.uk

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Taken from The Art of Eating Well Ebury Press, h/b, £25

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PARTRIDGES SUPERFOOD

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:40

Away

TA K E

A healthy lunch @ santo

AVA I L A B L

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Every Friday & Saturday 12 to 5 pm 299 portobello road, notting hill, w10 5td | 0208 968 4590

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FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES

Clean living New Yorker Kara Rosen launched the Plenish juice cleanse and this month sees the publication of her first cookbook Wo r d s K A R A R O S E N

AVOCADO, RADISH AND SPINACH QUINOA SALAD S e r ves t w o I N GR E D I E NTS • 90g (33/ 4 oz) quinoa • 480ml (16fl oz) water • 1 avocado • 8–10 red radishes • 2 generous handfuls of baby spinach • 2 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice • 1 tsp ground cumin • ¼ tsp mustard powder • pinch of Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper

MISO SESAME CARROTS AND LEEKS WITH BLACK BEANS

ME TH OD

01 Rinse and drain the quinoa, then put into a saucepan with the water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed and the quinoa has cooked through (you may need to add some more water). 02 Leave to cool; this salad can be served warm or at room temperature.

03 While the quinoa is cooling, halve the avocado and discard the stone, then remove the skin from the halves and slice the flesh.

Wash, trim and thinly slice the radishes.

04 Stir the avocado, radishes, and spinach through the quinoa. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, mustard powder and salt and pepper and use to dress the salad. u

S erves two I N G RE DI E N TS • 4 small-medium carrots (peeled and sliced) • 2 leeks (sliced) • 400g can black beans (drained) • 2 tbsp sweet white miso paste • 2 tsp mirin • 2 tsp tamari • 2 tsp cold-pressed sesame oil • pinch of Himalayan salt • 2 tsp sesame seeds

ME T HO D

01 Lightly steam the carrots and leeks for about six minutes until they are al dente. 02 Transfer to a bowl and stir through the beans, miso paste, mirin and tamari. 03 Drizzle over the sesame oil and season with the salt. 04 Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve. u

Recipes taken from Kara Rosen’s PLENISH: Juices to Boost, Cleanse & Heal, £12.99, Mitchell Beazley

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 11:20

REVIEW

theDETOX DELIVERIES

After Christmas, you’re probably feeling sluggish and lightly pickled. Get back on track with London’s top detox deliveries W o r d s r o m y va n d e n b r o e k e

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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’ve always been a bit sceptical about the idea of a ‘detox’. I think it may have come from my Dad, a Dutchman who despite having flown as a pilot during a time when such a career was perhaps one of the most glamorous and indulgent of them all, has maintained his frugal and disciplined 1940s attitude towards food. ‘It’s all about moderation,’ a saying he has always lived by. Never will he have more than two sausages, too much pasta or a second helping. Now, I am not saying I’m nearly as disciplined as my dad, but I do believe that moderation is the key to a healthy and happy life, so detoxes have always seemed like a bit of an unnecessary punishment. That said, sometimes it is hard to keep things in check, especially in my industry. Champagne is popped by 2pm on a Monday in July, as that is when ‘Christmas’ begins. This early introduction to the festive season gains full momentum by September, and by the end of October, well, you are completely

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FOOD & DRINK / DETOX out of sorts. Which is why, for the first time ever, I’ve decided to try a detox, to rid myself of all the delicious toxins I’ve filled my body with over the past few months and to give you the run down of London’s best detox packages, just in time for January.

FOR THOSE WITH GOOD INTENTIONS Who? Nosh Detox What? Body, Tone and Smooth osh Detox doesn’t do detoxes in half measures.

There are only a few menus to choose from, to ensure you take it as seriously as they do.

Opt for a full juice or food programme, depending on how virtuous you’re feeling. From the food programme I choose the Body Smooth and Tone menu, which promises to help shed pounds, smooth out cellulite and keep skin tight and youthful. After five days on the plan, I can tell you those three promises do not come easy. The food is delicious, but there’s not much of it. Two parts liquid, one part food; be prepared for a plethora of nutrientpacked juices, smoothies and soups that help replace vitamins and minerals your body probably didn’t even realise it was missing. The first day was hard: my breakfast smoothie was nice but not the bowl of Special K I’d grown accustomed to, and my spinach and chilli soup at lunchtime just didn’t fill a hole. But I powered through, and after two days of similarly tough grub, I actually felt pretty good: lighter on my feet, refreshed and sharper at work. The small portions meant it wasn’t ideal for cardio exercise (and I do a fair amount) but that didn’t matter because it gave my body a chance to rest and restore. The complete ban on wheat, dairy and sugar products sees

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Nosh Detox live up to its ‘purify and nutrify’ mantra, and my fresher face, smoother legs and newfound agility made it worth every hunger pang. £165-£330; noshdetox.com

FOR THE LAZY DIETER Who? Pure Package What? Weight Loss A foodie on a detox can be a dangerous mix, so a detox that declares to be the ‘diet for food lovers’ sounded like a safer bet. There are 10 menus to choose from, including Japanese Body Boost and one specifically crafted for Mum and Baby, but I went simple and selected the Weight Loss menu.

Each portion is big, filling and full of flavour, so much so that you almost worry it may make you gain weight instead – but with celebrity fans including Florence Welch, Lily Cole and Zara Martin on their books, you know that won’t be right. Each morning, a cool bag is waiting for you outside your house jam-packed with your food for the day. My first breakfast was a yoghurt and prune muesli, which is, in all honesty, my idea of hell. But that’s fine, Pure Package are ridiculously accommodating, so get in touch and personalise your deliveries by giving them simple preferences such as savoury breakfasts over sweet. The food seemed to just get better and better, think smoked chicken and artichoke terrine, open egg and cress sandwiches on rye bread, Nasi Goreng and mushroom stroganoff. By the end of my

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5-day plan I didn't, as I expected to after the first delivery, feel fatter and full. I felt well-fed, nourished and energised, so much so I went to three spin classes in a row that week. If this is detoxing, sign me up.

10-day full programme; purepackage.com

FOR THE NAUGHTY ONE Who? Detox Kitchen What? Green Package he Detox Kitchen founder, Lily Simpson, started the now famed company in 2012 with an army of chefs and nutritionists. Every day, Simpson and her team devise new, tasty menus to send out to their customers.

Each plan steers clear of toxins such as wheat, dairy and refined sugar, and is then tailored to suit different requirements and needs such as weight loss. Feeling pretty lethargic after a heavy week at work, the Green Package seemed to appeal the most as it is the ultimate cleansing programme. Expect plenty of wheatgrass and spirulina shots, smoothies and juices packed with celery, avocado and spinach, and tons of salads.

The menu doesn’t exceed 900 calories per day, and meals include cauliflower, goji berry and cashew nut salad and edamame, white cabbage and black sesame salad. With clientele like Elle Macpherson and so few calories consumed, we can only hope that after a few more of these we will have a body like hers. We can dream, can’t we? £32.99 per day; detoxkitchen.co.uk

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 11:43

R

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GY

S AV I N G S H

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To reserve your free Duette速 Shades Design Consultation visit: luxaflex.co.uk/myluxaflex Gilroy Interiors Gerrards Cross 01753 899 007

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Belle Vue Blinds Egham 01784 471 122

09/12/2014 11:53

FOOD & DRINK / DETOX FOR THE FITNESS FANATIC Who? Soulmatefood What? Sport Kitchen ever did I think a detox could provoke such jealousy, but then came my Soulmatefood delivery.

With meals including seared steak salad and salmon and chive frittata, heads would turn and bellies would rumble as I took my meals out and placed them, rather smugly, into the microwave. With food as delicious as it is nutritious, Soulmate really have mastered the art to healthy eating. So much so that by day four of my diet plan I felt the need to get in touch with founder Christian Coates directly. I just couldn’t get my head around the fact that eating the amount of food could actually help me lose weight. Was he sure that this tasty, filling food came in at 1,200 calories? Coates assured me that I was on the weight loss plan, and as he was the man who fed the Team GB boxing team in the run up to 2012 Olympics - which saw them win Bronze I took his word for it. For the active among us, Soulmate's Sports Kitchen menu is the perfect antidote to Christmas indulgence.

Designed for athletes who wish to improve their overall performance by increasing their nutritional intake, the meals avoid using salt, sugar, butter and cream to add flavour. This is a detox in the modern sense of the word, a week of wholesome, healing food that doesn’t deny you what you want but fuels you toward real health. Elizabeth Hutton; From £150; soulmatefood.com

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FOR THE VICE VICTIM Who? Honestly Healthy What? Ultimate Weight Loss ho want’s a lovely green coconut smoothie for breakfast? It’s not as yummy as it sounds. The gloopy texture and grassy aftertaste make it tough to swallow, but it feels so virtuous I can’t actually knock it. The food from Honesty Healthy’s six-day Ultimate Weight Loss plan is super-nutritious, but is sometimes just not what you fancy. This is the detox for those who need a real health reality check. There are highlights, including a very tasty Mexican bean salad with halloumi and guacamole, a well-flavoured pear and fennel soup, and a hearty millet and mushroom risotto, and the juices contain superfood supplements such as spirulina, flaxseed and chlorella. It’s designed for those of us who vow not to drink this week, but then can’t say no to a quick glass of wine, the vice victims whose good intentions are crushed by their lack of willpower.

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Honestly Healthy will whip you into shape and although it won't be easy, it will most certainly be worth it. Elizabeth Hutton; six day plan, £220, honestlyhealthyfood.com

FOR THE FAN OF THE ASIAN DIET Who? Feng Sushi What? The Feng Diet his one claims that it's not 'a diet to lose weight or detox but will likely help with both'. The three day plan is a delicious and nourishing scheme that doesn't feel like any sort of punishment. The only tricky part is co-ordinating two deliveries a day – one at

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lunchtime and one at dinner, which includes tomorrow's breakfast. Meals arrive warm, apart from the daily porridge, which comes with grated carrot, sesame and shiso.

Highlights include day one's lunch of tuna sashimi and salty edamame, which arrives hot on the heels of the mid-morning sushi snack, and soon before an afternoon snack of tofu and coriander dip with carrot sticks.

Dinner is lighter than lunch and might be a smoked mackerel, spinach and soba noodle soup, or a salmon donburi, or spicy cuttlefish soup. Eat this way and you guarantee that nothing unhealthy will pass your lips for the duration. In fact, we could happily live on it. Pendle Harte; three day plan £95, fengsushi.co.uk u

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 11:43

Ukai (oo-kaaee), our name, is inspired by the traditional method of river fishing practiced for some 1,300 years using Cormorant birds to catch sweetfish.

Due to interest, many of its various Japanese inspired products including flower teas (which blossoms in front

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of you eyes), and a variety of stylish tableware are now available to be purchased.

Ultimately, Ukai’s passion is sushi. With the simplest recipe; the freshest sustainable fish, the highest quality of ingredients and a trained and loving chef.

18/03/2014 09:58

FOOD & DRINK / REVIEW

Wormwood

– they promise 'wholesome, creative, colourful dishes inspired by mezze/tapas' – and the temptation is to order everything.

After an intensely truffly amuse bouche, first to arrive is foie gras with Pimientos del Piquillo, chocolate and brioche, which comes with a recommended glass of chilled port, sweet and silky. Then lobster couscous, a tiny pan of perfect bisque poured over a cinnamony, sweet lobster dish, and next a soft, sweet, spiced lamb tartar and PomPom Pig, an insanely soft piglet belly with apple puree. Everything is seved in delicate, prettily arranged portions (on such beautiful plates that I had to make a note of the make) and flavours are robust but precisely balanced.

Tiny cubes of solidified sauce add to a plate of tuna done three ways, which includes shizu leaf and granny smith apple.

Not one but two pre-desserts arrived before the actual dessert: firstly a shot glass full of frozen egg white, mint, sugar and absinthe that seemed like the work of a clever chemistry student with highly evolved tastebuds, and then a similarly

All Saints Road's newest star offers some of the most innovative cooking in the area Wo r d s p e n d l e h a r t e

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t may not have the most appealing name, but Wormwood is offering some of the best food in Notting Hill. Set up by Algerian ex-rap artist Rabah Ourrad (who honed his chef skills at Sketch and then at The Ledbury) and Christophe Cavaille (a restaurant manager with a serious wine obsession), the place is dedicated to clever, unusual flavours.

When Fay Maschler gave it four stars before it had even properly annnounced its existence, the place was clearly headed for greatness. It looks white, airy and simple but there's nothing simple about its approach – serious dedication emanates from Rabah and Chris.

First off, there are cocktails. Not the usual cliches, but thoughtfully put together drinks carefully concoted by Chris, who (naturally) makes his own Mezcal and

has devised a diverse and intelligent wine list too. We try the classic house Negroni and then the Mezcal Negroni, a darker, smokier, intense drink. The menu is made up of small dishes designed for sharing

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clever small pot containing pure essence of coconut. The real desserts – 'guilty pleasures' – are simply described – 'fig and balsamic' comes with millefeuille with tarragon cream and pistachio sorbet, while 'cherry and beetroot' is a tart-tasting souffle with yoghurt sorbet. No excess sugar in any of it – in fact the puddings are arguably no sweeter than the main courses, with all ingredients releasing their natural sweetness under clever handling. It's not a cheap dinner – courses are priced as if you'd order one each when really you order four – but with cooking this innovative, the prices is justified. Good luck to Wormwood. u

● wormwood

16 All Saints Road, W11; 020 7221 2535 wormwoodrestaurant.com

JANUARY 2014

12/12/2014 10:44

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ABSOLUTELY XXXXXXXXX//PROMOTION XXXXXXXX

KENSINGTON'S

FINEST Three of our favourite W8 shopping opportunities

NEAL’S YARD REMEDIES With a holistic approach to health and beauty, Neal's Yard are passionate about chemicalfree cosmetics. Using the apothecary's award winning organic products, Neal's Yard Remedies are proud to be transforming lives with a tailored service that combines incredible beauty treatments with personal empowerment and lessons on how to live better though the power of nature.

Neal’s Yard Remedies Kensington 7a Church Street, W8 4LF

LEV ANTIQUES Lev Antiques is a long-established family business in Kensington Church Street, right in the heart of the Royal Borough. Founded in 1882, it has carried on its long tradition of specialising in antique jewellery, silver, curios and paintings. Visit to find a wide variety of interesting items to buy for that special occasion and to suit all budgets.

97A Kensington Church Street, W8 7LN 020 7727 9248; levantiquesltd.co.uk

Vellos Designs Vellos Designs Ltd was established in 1991 and is a family-owned architectural interior design practice. Vellos Designs offers an outstanding service that only a family-run business can. From conception to completion, they project manage every step of the way, priding themselves on customer satisfaction.

35 Kensington Church Street, W8 4LL; 020 7937 8008; vellosdesigns.com

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 09:29

JANUARY

SALE REDUCTIONS ON MOST RANGES

Luxury European Furniture since 1962

London Luxury Furniture Showroom 020 7253 3206 WHARFESIDE.indd 1

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> INTERIORS NOTES

p. 68

GREY SCALE

p. 71

BATH STORY

p. 72

THE WHIMSICAL WORLD OF DONNA WILSON

p. 77

FLOOR SHOW American interior and fashion designer Kelly Wearstler's design for the Rug Company is Flaunt, in hand-knotted Tibetan wool and silk for a truly luxurious feel. ÂŁ1,135 per m2, 124 Holland Park Avenue W11; therugcompany.com

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:50

10 of the best

heavy metal accessories 01

This month we’re all about metal magic and upcycled chic Wo r d s G e m m a B i l l i n g t o n

TOM FORD

Scent London Diffuser, £35; occa-home.co.uk

ARTISANTI

Bardem 3 Drawer Metal Dresser, £502; artisanti.com

02 03

SKULTUNA

Brass Bottle Opener, £60; conranshop.co.uk

04

ALESSI

Chip Magnetic Paper Clip Holder, £33; design55online.co.uk 05

THE CAST IRON BATH COMPANY

Marseille Cyprium Copper Bateau Bath, £2,495; castironbath.co.uk

On aWing O sborne & Little for Multiyork

The weather outside might still be frightful, but Multiyork’s new Osborne & Little fabrics are just delightful. The collaboration between two of Britain’s most established and revered interior brands includes this whimsical butterfly print, which would have to be our pick of the bunch. Murrayfield Chair in Osborne & Little Butterfly Gardens fabric, £1,439; multiyork.co.uk

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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HOMES & INTERIORS / NOTES 06

ROWEN & WREN

Moscow Mule Copper Mugs, £18 each; rowenandwren.co.uk

editor’s

PICK TAKE A PEW Nigel Coates

Want to take a piece of maverick designer Nigel Coates home with you? Recently unveiled at Decorex, this striking Back to Back sofa is upholstered in Dedar fabric and is an updated version of the original, created in 2008 for Italian furniture makers Fratelli Boffi. Back to Back sofa

by Nigel Coates upholstered with Dedar fabrics £8,300, Cushions as shown £1,050;

nigelcoates.com 07

DOG DAYS Occa Home

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but clearly no one told this dapper off-piste pooch. This quirky Autrement Dit cushion is one of three to collect from Occa Home. We’re a tiny bit obsessed with them. £54; occa-home.co.uk

OLIVER BONAS Double Trinket Dish, £18; oliverbonas.com

08

JONATHAN ADLER

09

Large Brass Bird Bowl, £398; uk.jonathanadler.com

SECOND LIFE Pipoca

New to west London’s Brackenbury Village is Pipoca, a haven of upcycled and vintage furniture. The team stock eye-catching, lovingly restored homeware and also offer a bespoke ‘customer design’ service, whereby a client’s old piece of furniture can be given a new lease of life.

BLOOMINGVALE

09

Black Table Lamp with Copper Shade, £206; debenhams.com

127A Brackenbury Road, W6;

pipoca.co.uk

LIVE BY THE RIVER Queen’s Wharf

Building won’t be complete until 2017, but the luxurious Queen’s Wharf development is already creating quite a stir. Encompassing the famous Riverside Studios and with interiors designed by WISH London, they’re certainly rooms with a view. queenswharf.co.uk

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SASSY HARDWICK FURNITURE

Copper Drinks Cabinet , POA; sassyhardwick.co.uk 10

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:48

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09/12/2014 11:52

HOMES & INTERIORS / PRODUCTS ROBERTS

Revival RD60 DAB Digital Radio, Beach Huts, £200; selfridges.com

ARTHOUSE

Feather Charcoal Embroidered Cushion, £24.99; arthouse.com

IN SPACES

The Dogs Wallpaper Pale Grey, £78; in-spaces.com

WHITE MINT

Large Hexa Cool Grey Ceramic Vase, £32; whitemint.co.uk

DRIFT LIVING

Ceramic Owl Candle Holder, £6.99; driftliving.co.uk

ALEXANDER AND PEARL

Mallard Grey Industrial Metal Pendant, £155; alexanderandpearl.co.uk

LAURA ASHLEY

Dove Grey Gallery Clock, £60; lauraashley.com

JOHN LEWIS,

Copenhagen Double Bed, Lars Bedlinen; johnlewis.com

FADE TO GREY ORCHID FURNITURE

Typhoon Grey Lacquer Wedding Cabinet, £2,395; orchidfurniture.co.uk

SOPHIE ALLPORT

Dark Grey & Ivory Baby Alpaca Throw, £165; sophieallport.com

Muted tones and subtle hues add a touch of elegance to a room MADE

Menagerie Decorative Elephant Soft Grey Felt, £129; made.com

ALEXANDER AND PEARL Area Grey & Copper Industrial Table Lamp, £195; alexanderandpearl.co.uk

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:47

XXXXXX / XXXXXXX

Luxury on tap This Notting Hill bathroom designed by Milly Goodwin for Drummonds is our absolute room of the moment Wo r d s p e a r l b oy d

S

orrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine,' said 13th century Italian philosopher Thomas Aquinas. His idea of a reviving bath would doubtless have been a punishingly unluxurious experience in comparison to the 21st century wetroom standard.

Today, it's arguable that the definitive domestic luxury is not the superking-sized bed with sheets of the world’s highest thread count, nor the integrated wine cabinet; not a vast cushiony sitting room or a seamless German kitchen or even a huge underground home cinema. No. The true luxury is the ultimate bathroom.

Statistics suggest that the average person spends a total of 18 months in the bathroom over the course of a lifetime – and life is too short to waste that fiddling with a flaky shower or even putting up with an unattractive colourway. Aquinas would probably have found his cure for sorrow in a public bathing house, but for us it's all about privacy and calm, sober schemes, fresh scents and smooth surfaces. We want the temperatures (floor, air and water) to be just right – we'd like a window with a view, please, and lots of natural light, and it's also important that the place doesn't feel like it's come straight from the bathroom

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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HOMES & INTERIORS / BATHROOMS Hand-painted Spey bath, £4980

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 09:34

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HOMES & INTERIORS / BATHROOMS Classic mixer tap in brass finish with walnut lever handles, £1,578

showroom. The best bathroom is a oneoff, bespoke concept with its own look, and The bathroom is where style meets function. The bathroom designer knows that not only does the shower need to offer just the right amount of pressure at precisely the perfect temperature, but it also needs to look stylish and characterful, clean – of course – but not too sterile. So the look should be freestanding rather than uniform and built-in.

This luxurious suite in a Victorian house in Notting Hill, designed by stylist Milly Goodwin, embraces bright colour and rich, polished brass. Best of all, it's a real room (not a partitioned compartment) with its original fireplace, deep skirting boards and sash windows.

Warm metal finishes are a hot trend, and they age down to a beautiful patina that

WE'D like a WINDOW with a VIEW, please and lots of NATURAL LIGHT adds an element of glamour. The Spey cast iron bath in Salmon pink is the main feature of the room, with Drummonds’ classic unlacquered solid brassware with burnished black walnut lever handles creating a warm, nostalgic feel. It has been left un-lacquered and un-polished to age naturally giving it a rich, golden colour and unique patina. The bath is

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drained through a Plunger waste unit based on a classic Victorian design.A new wall was created to conceal a shower and loo enclosure, and the Art Deco glass panel was sourced in Paris.

This beautiful piece is backlit, bathing the bath in a soft glow in the evening.

Bold terracotta floor tiles were chosen to match the bath by Italian designers Palazzo Morelli and the stylish walnut vanity units were made to order. The fireplace, marble basins and countertop are all from Chesneys and the rock resin wall covering from Senso. In all, this is the ultimate bathroom and Aquinus, we are certain, would have been entirely free of all sorrow here. u 27 Chepstow Place, W2 drummonds-uk.com

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 09:34

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Sleep in heavenly peace Beautiful new timber windows and doors

The curtain consultants Advise | Design | Create Luxurious bespoke to customised ready-made curtains Blinds, poles, upholstery and accessories

www.ayrtonbespoke.com Telephone 020 8877 8920 Email enquiries@ayrtonbespoke.com 406 Merton Road, London SW18 5AD

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11/12/2014 14:26 12/12/2014 11:30

HOME & INTERIORS / INTERVIEW PROFILE

KNIT WIT

Notting Hill's Couverture stocked some one-off knitted dolls by unknown RCA graduate Donna Wilson in 2003 – and since then the knit revolutionary has become a household name. Absolutely enters her world Interview helen baron

ABSOLUTELY When did you realise you had a passion for design?

DONNA WILSON I think it was at quite a young age, I was always drawing and making things and was always most happy with a pencil in my hand. I didn’t know what I wanted to be as a child, but I knew it was going to be something to do with art and design.

ABS Where do your inspirations come from?

DW All over the place: the landscape, music, dreams, magazines, ceramics, Scandinavian design, people. Sometimes I just see a tiny snippet of something which triggers an idea, which is then developed into a product. I recently went to a small, remote island off the coast of Newfoundland and came back feeling really inspired by its landscape of boats and houses; but normally I find inspiration everywhere: it can be a tiny piece of cloth, a picture in a book or a found object from my travels. Nature is also a big inspiration for me, particularly the plants and animals in the British countryside.

ABS How did you get to where you are?

DW I studied Textile Design at Grays College of Art in Aberdeen and graduated in 1999. I then got a job in a knitwear company as an assistant designer for a year. After that I went back to college to do my MA at the Royal College of Art, where I specialised in Mixed Media Textiles. I had fantastic tutors there. At the RCA I started making products and sold them in shops like Couverture and Supra Girls London. They started off as the long, leggy dolls and evolved into the slightly more disturbing knitted creatures with two heads or extra long legs, each with their

knitting; usually they turn out very much like the drawings but occasionally I’ll make some out of the scraps or off-cuts.

Sometimes these rejects are just as successful as the planned ones.

ABSWhich famous artists/designers do you admire or inspire you the most?

DW I like Alexander Girard, Stig Lindberg, my grandma (but she wasn’t famous)!

Another designer I admire is Hella Jongerius – I love the sofa she did for Vitra a long time ago with the odd buttons! I’d never seen anything like this and I love the way she uses textiles and colour a lot in her work. Her designs are clever and thoughtful and have that human element.

ABS What five words would best describe you?

DW Colourful, smiley (most of the time), messy, bendy, Scottish.

EVERYTHING we do is DESIGNED to make people SMILE. I LOVE working with COLOUR very own character; the more peculiar the better for me.

ABS How do you start your design process?

DW I usually do sketches in a notebook – they look like little cartoons, tiny bodies with huge exaggerated heads. I get their look and idea on paper first, then start

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ABS What are five things you couldn’t live without?

DW A sketchbook, a stapler, music, colourful paints, the sea.

ABS How did you learn to knit? How old were you at the time?

DW My grandma tried to teach me to knit and crochet when I was really young but I didn’t have the patience. Even now I’m not very patient for hand-knitting, I prefer to machine-knit. We were taught the basics during my BA, how to cast on and off etc.

That was in 1996, and after that I taught myself the rest to get the effect that I was looking for. I always love the way I can create a fabric from a strand of yarn in the texture, colour and pattern I want.

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:51

HOME & INTERIORS / INTERVIEW KNITTING is a very HEALTHY, CREATIVE and satisfying HABIT ABS How did it feel to have a sell-out show at the Royal College of Art? How did this affect your career plans?

DW It was very encouraging, I knew that I wanted to start my own business when I left the RCA. It gave me the confidence to exhibit at a public show called Designersblock, which opened my work up to a wider audience too. I’d never have done that if it wasn’t for the RCA. AABS What was your first knitted creature?

What inspired you to create him/her?

DW After the long leggy creatures I made the weirder creatures. I had a small family and I can’t remember which one came first, as they were all born around the same time: Edd Red Head, with the giant head and tiny body; Angry Ginger, who was ginger with a hairy chest; Bunny Blue, who had four sets of ears and four eyes; and Canibdoll, who was inspired by a story that was in the news at the time – a German cannibal advertised to find a mate to eat and he got a few applicants! Although the creatures sound a bit gruesome, they were not scary, they were more collectable companions that people wanted to look after.

ABS How did you go about establishing your online shop?

DW I had a website pretty much straight after leaving the RCA, I felt it was important for shops and customers to see what I did.

The first site was very hand-drawn and had

a little animation of the creatures. I wasn’t trying to pretend I was a big company, I liked the fact that I was just starting out, was independent and could do small numbers and small quantities. The web shop took about six years to establish itself as a successful part of the business.

ABS Do you have any favourite yarns you like to work with?

DW I always work with natural yarns, mainly lambswool, I love the colours you can get as well as its felting properties.

The crafted nature of the product is as important as the design process. When I’m making things I have to use the same process for each but because they’re made by hand, their form varies from one to another and when we get to the stage of stitching their features on, I create a new personality every time – embroidery is like drawing with a needle and thread. The proportions and placement gives each one a different look. People have asked me why I don’t get them mass-produced – it would certainly be less time consuming – but for me I think they would lose their charm, identity and oddness.

ABS What do you think about the increasing popularity of knitting among young people?

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DW I love it! I think knitting is a very healthy, creative and satisfying habit. I think it’s fantastic that the stereotype is being broken.

ABS What is your favourite product in your collection?

DW My favourite product right now would be the new pie chart patchwork blanket. I love the way it feels, the rainbow of colours, and the fact that it looks like a textile pie chart! It’s made by our seamstress Eva who makes patchwork quilts in her spare time. It’s such a lovely traditional process and this one looks really bold and colourful. I’d like to have on my wall!

ABS Do you collect anything?

DW I have to try very hard not to collect too many things. If I had enough space I would collect everything as I love being surrounded by inspiring objects. I do have a shelf at home that’s got a collection of painted wooden dolls in all shapes and sizes. Some are from a trip to India, others are dolls that I’ve made, and some are lovely antique dolls with round ball heads from Japan. I love how there is a strange variation among them but that they all have nice faces. u

donnawilson.com

78 12/12/2014 10:52

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18/11/2014 12:02

> SCHOOL TALK: WHY CODING IS THE NEW PHONICS

p. 83

KIDS' NOTES: WHAT TO WEAR AND WHAT TO READ

p. 85

HAPPY FEET Just launched by Salvatore Ferragamo is Ferragamo Mini, which reworks two iconic designs from the women’s collections for girls – the famous round-toed ballerina shoe created for Audrey Hepburn and Varina, the enduring bestseller finished off with the brand’s signature Vara bow. £225-£255, ferragamo.com

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:57

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11/12/2014 17:42

KIDS & EDUCATION / SCHOOL TALK

Cracking code If coding is the new literacy, are your children falling behind?

Wo r d s A m a n d a C o n s ta n c e

D

o you know your Javascript from your Perl? Or your HTML from your Ruby? No, me neither. And did you know that since September this year, ‘coding’ has replaced ICT (information and communications technology) on the new National Curriculum? Again, me neither.

In its simplest terms, coding is telling a computer what you want it to do. This involves typing in step-by-step commands for the computer to follow. It’s often likened to learning a foreign language and it’s certainly double-Dutch to most parents. But in a world where coding powers our digital world, where every website, smartphone app, computer program, calculator and even microwave relies on code in order to operate, we all need to understand it. The coders of the future will be the architects and builders of the digital age.

Kathryn Parsons, chief executive and co-founder of Decoded, a company in the heart of east London’s Tech City which runs Code in a Day courses, says: “Coding is the new building block for the world.

Bringing coding alive is essential, not just in the classroom but also by parents sitting down with their kids and learning together. Whether you are six or 60, this has a place in everyone’s lives. Coding is the new literacy.”

In west London, two enterprising women are bringing coding into the classrooms of Notting Hill. BlueSHIFT Coding was set up by Heather Lyons, a web designer and Elizabeth Tweedale, an architect, designer and computer scientist. Both have young children and a missionary zeal to get kids coding.

CODING is the new BUILDING BLOCK for the WORLD “Our aim is to enable young people to become creative users of technology rather than passive consumers,” says Tweedale, a 30-year-old American.

“In future we all need to have some understanding of computation.”

BlueSHIFT Coding is already running classes at Chepstow House School, Wetherby and Falcon School for Girls, as well as after-school courses at the company’s studio in Monmouth Road, and will be launching new classes in Kensal Rise after Christmas.

Tweedale and Lyons have developed their own approach to teaching code to children between the ages of 5-12.

Tweedale explains that, traditionally, computer science has only been taught

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at university level and the teaching for younger children has often been a “watered down” version. “That just doesn’t work for children,” she says. “It’s too slow. Have you ever seen a three-yearold work an iPad? They’re so quick.”

BlueSHIFT Coding is all about “taking creativity in all forms in order for children to solve problems”, says Tweedale. She describes a favourite project in the lessons– ‘Teddy Hacking’.

This is when the children bring in old soft toys and turn them into robots by adding sensors, LEDs and other micro-controls.

It’s great fun.

From now on, KS1 (Key Stage 1) children will have to understand core elements of computer science, while those in KS2 must be able to understand and edit code and KS3 pupils must learn to be able to write their own code. At the latter stages, the teacher will need training in computer science. There is currently a huge shortage, Tweedale says.

Despite the dearth of qualified teachers there are plenty of initiatives for keen coders. Founders4Schools recently held an Appathon UK to get students to design and create an app prototype – the top three were then coded by university students and the winners were presented with their winning apps in House of Commons last November. And Code Club, a nationwide network of volunteer-led after school coding clubs, now has more than 2,000 clubs up and running. u The Kensal Rise Coding Club will begin in the New Year: Term-time: Mondays, 4-5pm from 12 Jan – 23 March, £200 for 10 weeks at Gracelands Yard, 102 Liddell Gardens, NW10 3QE. For more information email: mimi@blueshiftcoding.com or book at blueshiftcoding.com

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:26

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KIDS & EDUCATION / NOTES

SHELF LIFE

T H E S N UG Smalls

Smalls' range of fabulously soft and hard-wearing merino base layers for children is now stocked at Salusbury Road's Iris, just in time for ski season. Warm in winter and cool in summer, these are absolutely the most versatile garments you'll ever buy. lovemysmalls.com

DOODLE FLIP DRESS UP ÂŁ 7. 9 5 L a u re n c e Ki n g

SMALL TALK Hogwarts stationery, doodle fashion and warm woolies

ELFIE New in Bayswaters

Gorgeous childrenswear brand Elfie has opened its first stand-alone store in a suitably stylish Grade II listed building in Bayswater, which will showcase its seasonal collections as well as its regular collaborations. The brand designs classic and whimsical clothes for children up to age eight, inspired by its founding sisters' childhoods.

27 Chilworth Street, W2; elfielondon.com

ring out the budding stylist in your tots B with this delightful Doodle Flip Dress Up book. Who could fail to be charmed by the genuis page flip ssytem that allows you to design and then mash up your wildest fashion ideas? The fantastic range of dress ups includes swashbuckling pirate attire, intergalactic space-wear and fairy princess clobber. So grab your felt tips and design a tiger in a tutu or an astronaut in cowboy boots, and then flip it over and start all over again. Doodle Flip Dress Up is published this month; illustrator Hennie Haworth's clients include The New Statesman, The Guardian and Penguin Books. â—†

NA M E I T

H O G WA RT S

A personal tale

Harr y Potter stationer y

This Christmas's biggest hit was Lost My Name, a personalised book for children based on collecting the letters from their names. Preview online before you order. lostmy.name

Graphic designers Minalima established the visual graphic style of the Harry Potter films and now they have launched a luxurious range of Hogwarts stationery, including these fabulous exercise books. minalima.com

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Illustrator h e n n i e h aw o r t h

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 10:56

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01/12/2014 18:12

> FINDING DOMESTIC HARMONY ON THE COAST OF TURKEY

p. 88

R'N'R AT IN:SPA RETREAT, MOROCCO

p. 95

RELAX & UNWIND Writer Alexandra Jones takes steps to a healthier and happier lifestyle for the New Year at the beautiful In:Spa Retreat just outside Marrakech, Morocco. See page 95 for a review of her life-changing experience.

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 11:23

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Turkish Delight A private peninsula on the south coast of Turkey proves the ultimate spot for a family to relax in the sun Wo r d s P e n d l e H a r t e

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s a mother of three, businesswoman and former model, Jasmine Guinness is a woman who needs a holiday, and knows it. When she explained that: ‘people who read on holiday always have a better time because it’s total escapism, both physically and mentally,’ she articulated my feelings exactly. Because what I want most from a holiday is a place to read. A beautiful place in the sun, where all my immediate physical needs are met – and those of my family – in order that I can be left in peace to read. But this is harder to achieve than it sounds. Anyone with children knows that for a holiday to be a holiday, you need to be able to reclaim your own brain for yourself, away from the incessant random demands made on it, and this is not something that happens easily.

So we came to an all-inclusive resort. It might not be the most imaginative holiday option, but when your ambition is to find rest and relish in it, the promise of having no decisions to make for a full week is an exciting one. Letoonia in Fethiye, on Turkey’s south coast, is a vast hotel on a completely private peninsula. Set in absurdly lush surroundings (over 268 varieties of fauna, requiring near-constant watering in this dry part of the world) it’s a beautiful spot. Imagine pine trees, bougainvillea, jasmine and roses all vying for space and creating a wilderness of colour. There are three private beaches, four pools (one indoor), eight restaurants, nine bars, a spa, a kids' club and countless available sporting

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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TRAVEL / TURKEY

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 11:24

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15/10/2012 10:42

Grate Expectations Ltd. Ltd The Fireplace Specialists

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TRAVEL / TURKEY activities. It’s almost a village in itself, a sprawling, hilly one with funicular railways and golf buggy taxis (flag them down when you’re flagging) connecting locations such as the pools and the beaches with the life-sized chess board, the theatre and the eateries, plus the archery course, the tennis courts and the water slides.

But if this sounds big and busy, it doesn’t feel it. On our visit, in high season and during the school holidays,

THIS is a UTOPIAN, moneyfree SOCIETY where everything IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE accommodation is at full capacity but still there is no crowding, queueing or scrambling for pool loungers. Everything is quiet and seamless. The all-inclusive ethos creates a utopian, money-free society where everything is always available to everybody and there’s no competitiveness or conspicuous consumption (nobody seems to overeat or drink despite the bottomless plates and glasses, which makes a convincing case for the goodness of human nature). We walk round the village unencumbered by anything as pedestrian as a wallet.

Accommodation is in bungalows with carved wooden details designed by award-winning Turkish architect Nail

Çakırhan. Our two bedroom suite is comfortable and spacious, with a shady balcony offering impressive sea views, so quite quickly we settle into a form of routine, loosely based around meals.

Buffet dining suits us and the largest restaurant is situated at the tip of the peninsula, by the lighthouse, offering sea views in all directions. Options are endless and alongside all the high class if fairly standard international fare is a good selection of Turkish meze – every day brings a delicious new twist on the aubergine – and there’s enough variety not to ever get bored. There are two a la carte restaurants too, one of them offering a curious fashioning of Japanese

food and the other a beachside fish venue, but we stick to the buffets with their wide array and child-friendly setup. We quickly discover our favourite place for lunch – on the beach, where salads and Turkish flatbreads offer light options alongside a chilled glass of wine. The children choose pasta with tomato sauce every day without exception, fully believing themselves in culinary heaven, and we are delighted that the ice cream stall opens punctually after lunch every day and then closes for the rest of the afternoon.

Days pass in a haze of swimming – the pool? Or the beach? Which pool and which beach? – and we enjoy everything from the waterslides that drop into the sea to the pedalos and rowing boats in the bay, as well as the elegant bananaleaf style hammocks that dot around the resort. One day we take a trip on Letoonia’s luxury yacht, which takes us around the peninsula, stopping to swim in clear turquoise waters and to shop in the market. In the evenings we enjoy all-singing, all-dancing performances from the in-house amateur dramatics group, whose enthusiasm and fantastic costumes fill the village amphitheatre with energetic shows every night.

So, the reading count went well. Not only did I reread Jayne Eyre but I caught up with Meg Wolitzer and Philip Roth too.

In terms of physical and mental escapism, I certainly had my fill. u Special offer for Letoonia bookings before end of January 2015 - 7 nights all inclusive including flights from £504.00 at letoonia.com

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JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 11:25

URBAN MEADOW Welcome to Urban Meadow Cafe & Bar, fresh British dining beside the iconic location of London’s Hyde Park.

3 course Festive Season Menu available from 17th November 2014 BOOK YOUR FESTIVE MEAL BEFORE 13TH OCTOBER AND RECEIVE 15% OFF YOU BILL.

3 course Festive Season Menu available from) ( Private dining available 17th November 2014 WE ARE NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR CHRISTMAS DAY & NEW YEAR’S EVE

BOOK YOUR FESTIVE MEAL BEFORE 13TH OCTOBER AND RECEIVE 15% OFF YOU BILL. WE ARE NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR OPENING TIMES: CHRISTMAS DAY & NEW YEAR’S EVE Monday - Friday 6:30 - 23:00 // Saturday 7:30 - 23:00 // Sunday 7:30 - 22:30 Bar open until midnight

( Private dining available )

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020 8876 1246 Coopers Appliances 441/445 Upper Richmond Road West, London, SW14 7PJ www.coopersappliances.com / info@coopersappliances.com

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TRAVEL / UK GETAWAY THE HOUSE

B

uilt in 1598, Gravetye Manor sits overlooking a private three acre lake within a 1,000 acre estate in the rolling Sussex countryside. Stepping through the doors of this historic Elizabethan house is like stepping back in time – Gravetye has mercifully been spared the generic trend-led interior update and still retains a classic period charm. Downstairs, you’ll find a cosy sitting room filled with squidgy sofas surrounding a roaring fire, as well as the restaurant and a bar leading out into the formal gardens.

Upstairs are 17 antique-clad bedrooms, each named after one of the species of trees found on the estate. Stay in the Ash suite, the oldest room in the house complete with four poster bed, oak panelling and an imposing fireplace featuring carvings of original owner Richard Infield and his bride Katherine Compton, for whom he built the house. u

GRAVETYE MANOR SUSSEX

Wo r d s G E O R G I E L A N E - G O D F R E Y

THE GARDENS

THE RESTAURANT

esigned by William Robinson, ‘The Father of the English Flower Garden’, Gravetye’s gardens are considered to be some of the most important in British horticultural history. Wander out of the bar and you’ll find yourself in the midst of the flower garden. From there you can wander down through the wildflower meadow to the lake or head to the East Garden on the other side of the house, where the collection of Rhododendrons produces bursts of magnificent colour.

If the sun in shining, stop for a game on the Croquet Lawn before climbing up to the Kitchen Garden, the only oval walled garden in England and the jewel in Gravetye’s crown. u

ead chef George Blogg serves Michelin-starred food in the atmospheric surrounds of a traditional oak-pannelled dining room. During summer months, 95 per cent of the produce used comes from Gravetye’s kitchen garden, meaning that you really are eating the freshest local produce possible.

We recommend starting with the pancetta wrapped quail, served with smoked potato purée and shimeji mushrooms, followed by the herb crusted cannon of South Downs lamb.

Save room for dessert – the acorn crème brûlée with walnut crumble and dark chocolate sorbet is a decadent taste of the English countryside.

However, for the full experience, try the excellent seven course taster menu, featuring all the highlights from the Gravetye gardens. u

D

H

THE DAMAGE Stay at Gravetye Manor, West Hoathly, Sussex, from £240 per night, inclusive of full English Breakfast for two. The restaurant is open to non-residents for lunch and dinner reservations seven days a week with afternoon tea and garden tours also available to book. For more information please call 01342 810567 or visit gravetyemanor.co.uk.

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JANUARY 2015

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11/12/2014 16:54 12/12/2014 12:25

TRAVEL / MOROCCO WELLNESS

All Change

If the festive season has left you with a hangover, an in:spa retreat is the perfect break Wo r d s A l e x a n d r a J o n e s

T

o give you a sense of what you’re dealing with, I’ll begin with a few admissions. Firstly, I never really ‘got’ yoga. It seemed to me a hobby that people who never exercise take up to make themselves feel better about not exercising. Secondly, sugar has been a ruling force in my life ever since I discovered the joys of the school vending

machine; because really, what’s better than a 4pm snack of two Mars bars and a packet of Maltesers? This appreciation - some would call it an addiction - has dogged me through my whole podgyaround-the-middle life. It was something that I had resigned myself to: I would always, always be the person who ate a second dessert and skipped spinning. It’s just how I was made.

The idea of in:spa, then, intrigued me.

The company offers week-long detox

95 NH_JAN_ Morocco_TP.indd 95

retreats. You go along to a luxury location (be it villa, hotel or riad) in a sunsoaked country and, with a group of strangers (between 10 and 20), are schooled by a nutritionist, personal trainers, a yoga instructor and a chef in the intricacies of health and wellbeing. There is a full timetable of exercises, including two hikes and two 5km runs and all meals are prepared by the chef who flies out with you. The retreat that I went to was in Morocco and while I’m not sure I learned anything groundbreaking about nutrition or exercise, I did learn a great deal about myself. In fact, if I were prone to hyperbole, I’d say this holiday changed my life.

The riad itself, a few miles outside Marrakech, was picture postcard perfect.

On the first night, the group of twelve nervously eyed one another across the main atrium and Mel – the nutritionist who had flown out with us from the UK - explained that we had as much opportunity to explore as we wanted.

‘Above all else, this is a holiday, none of the activities are compulsory,’ she assured us. Everyone, however, seemed game enough; the group was made up entirely of women, a doctor and an ambulance driver amongst them, barring one man, a burned out entrepreneur escaping too many hours in the office.

JANUARY 2015

12/12/2014 11:01

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TRAVEL / MOROCCO

THE feeling of ACHIEVEMENT was INCREDIBLE Each day we’d partake in a programme that included at least an hour of yoga and two to three hours of aerobic exercise in the form of fitness classes run by a personal trainer. All of which would be supplemented with one-on-one tutoring in food and fitness. This, I quickly discovered, did not mean hardcore workouts at 5am.

There was no military style shouting and for real fitness fanatics in:spa probably isn’t the right way to go. The earliest you rise is 7am, for a 5km run which you can walk, if you like. I ran, it was the first time say that I was hungry, though those first few days without sugar certainly left me craving something sweet.

Things like portion control or how each meal should be balanced (50% greens and vegetables, 25% carb, 25% protein) are dealt with in no nonsense, group sessions with the nutritionist. On the one hand these sessions don’t necessarily cover new territory, but they certainly hammer home the basic facts that you blithely ignore when you pick a packet of crisps over carrot sticks. There are also oneon-one sessions with the nutritionist that I’d run 5km in my life and the feeling of achievement was incredible. For those of middling ability (me) who go to the gym sporadically, but have a desire to go more, in:spa will work like a balm on your motivation levels. You’re not going to leave transformed but you will be inspired to try.

All meals are eaten en masse and (apart from dinner) in a buffet style where you help yourself. Food throughout the week is treated with a lot of positivity: the focus is very much on what you can have. For breakfast this means quite a lot: eggs, fruit, gluten-free buckwheat pancakes, vegan bircher muesli, all delicious. Ditto lunch, think chargrilled chicken, homemade hummus, carrot salad with raisins and tamarind dressing.

For both of these meals you’re invited to go for two helpings, three, if you really want. The only restrictions come around dinner time; dinner is two small courses with little flexibility in portion size. Of course you can request more, but then that’s sort of defeating the point. I can’t

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sugar was the main topic under discussion.

‘If you can go without it for three weeks, your habit will be broken,’ explained Mel. Three weeks to break the habit of a lifetime? I didn’t quite believe her, but after the first few days, when the cravings had subsided, I was willing to give it a try.

Nine months since the retreat there are things that, irrespective of how beneficial they were at the time, I haven’t been able to stick with. No alcohol, for example. In the most part though, I am sugar free and exercise more than I ever have done at any other time in my life.

The genius of in:spa is that everything on offer is absolutely top notch: advice from a wonderful team. Food from an exceptional chef. Accommodation in a beautiful setting. At the very least you’ll leave with the kind of deep sense of calm that only seven nights of blissful sleep will give you. And at most, you could end up like me, not wholly transformed, but certainly more believing in your own ability to change. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. u

MARRAKECH PALMERIE are designed to be as specific as possible to helping each individual achieve their goal. Very few people in the group seemed to be there to lose weight, and in:spa as a company certainly don’t make any claims to helping you shed pounds. Rather the approach is more holistic - each person’s needs are assessed before the meeting, then the nutritionist doles out advice on a case by case basis. Predictably, my addiction to

Morocco u 7 nights available from £1,895 across a variety of in:spa programmes and locations in 2015 including Morocco, Spain and France. Prices based on 2 sharing a small double room on an all-inclusive basis. Price includes all group physical activities, 1 nutrition consultation, 1 personal training session, 2 massages and airport transfers. Price excludes flights.

● in:spa retre ats

020 3235 0120; inspa-retreats.com

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Sa

up le to no 40 w % o of n f

Battersea I Clerkenwell I Knightsbridge I Mayfair I Notting Hill I Wandsworth I Kent I Surrey @westonebathroom 0333 011 3333

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08/12/2014 07/10/2014 14:11 11:16

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DESIGN CONSULTANCY BESPOKE FURNITURE LIGHTING CURTAINS & BLINDS WALLPAPER & PAINT CARPETS & RUGS FABRICS & TRIMMINGS UPHOLSTERY & RESTORATION

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Property Absolutely

January 2 0 1 5

> IN THEIR OWN WORDS p.116 NEWS p.126 LUXURIOUS LETTINGS p.134 PRIME PURCHASE p. 140

Queensdale Road, Holland Park W11

Guide Price ÂŁ4,500,000

A superb house on the corner of Queensdale Road and Queensdale Place with a south/westerley aspect, a good sized garden and an upper terrace. The house has been totally refurbished and is beautifully presented throughout. There is also the provision for off street parking. EPC Rating F.

020 7371 1111

JSA with Knight Frank 020 7229 0229 and Domus Nova 020 7727 1717

gareth.jones@carterjonas.co.uk

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JANUARY 2015

11/12/2014 15:17

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Opening doors in London since 1856 From the moment you walk through one of our doors, you’ll only deal with someone who lives and breathes your local property market.

Someone who knows exactly which buttons to press to sell or let your home. And someone who understands that determination and integrity will open more doors for you than any other approach.

So why not visit one of our 22 London offices? As we’ve been saying since 1856, our door’s always open...

marshandparsons.co.uk

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Local know-how. Better results.

Askew Road

Bishops Park

Clapham

Hammersmith

Marylebone & Mayfair

Richmond

Balham

Brook Green

Earls Court

Holland Park

North Kensington

South Kensington

Barnes

Camden

East Sheen

Kensington

Notting Hill

Battersea

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Pimlico & Westminster

Arundel Gardens W11 £1,999,950 Flooded with natural light this three-bedroom apartment is arranged over the top three floors of this beautiful terraced house. The bedroom accommodation is situated on the lower floor comprising a large master bedroom with views over the communal gardens and an en suite bathroom, a second double bedroom, third bedroom/study and an additional bathroom. The upper floors include a separate kitchen, charming reception room, dining room and out to a private terrace. Share of Freehold. EPC=D. Sole Agents.

NOTTING HILL: 020 7313 2890 sales.not@marshandparsons.co.uk

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Follow us on Twitter: @marshandparsons

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SALES

See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk

Faraday Road W10 £1,200,000 This superb apartment occupies the entire top half of an imposing Victorian building, and boasts a large top oor reception room with high vaulted ceilings. Further accommodation comprises a master bedroom with en suite shower room, a large second double bedroom, a bathroom and a charming study with doors opening onto the South facing decked terrace. Share of Freehold. EPC=E.

NORTH KENSINGTON: 020 7605 7760 sales.nkn@marshandparsons.co.uk

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carterjonas.co.uk Offices throughout the UK

LANSDOWNE CRESCENT Holland Park W11

A large Grade II listed Victorian house on the terraced outer side of this elegant crescent. The house has superb entertaining space and is wonderfully bright and beautifully presented.

3 reception rooms • 7 bedrooms 4 bathrooms • Patio • Terrace Access to communal gardens

Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 1111 gareth.jones@carterjonas.co.uk

JSA Knight Frank 020 7229 0229

View this property now on mobile or desktop devices cjview.me/ANHHPO1

Price on application

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CAMPDEN HILL ROAD Kensington W8 A delightful apartment situated on this popular residential road conveniently located close to both Notting Hill and Holland Park.

Reception room • 2 bedrooms • Bathroom Kitchen • Patio and courtyard area EPC rating E

Guide price £875,000 Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 1111 gareth.jones@carterjonas.co.uk

View this property now on mobile or desktop devices cjview.me/ANHHP02

HOLLAND ROAD Holland Park W14 A delightful compact first floor apartment situated in an elegant period building overlooking picturesque communal gardens.

Reception room • Bedroom • Bathroom Kitchen • Access to communal gardens EPC rating C

Guide price £500,000 Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 1111 gareth.jones@carterjonas.co.uk

View this property now on mobile or desktop devices cjview.me/ANHHP03

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12/12/2014 09:13

PROPERTY | NIGEL LEWIS

London's MOST POPULAR

Nigel Lewis, Absolutely's resident property writer, takes a look at London's most viewed property: 22 Lyndhurst Road, Hampstead

T

here are 58,596 properties listed for sale in London at the moment and at the time of writing this was the most viewed online of any of them. It’s also the most expensive house for sale in the capital although it’s not the dearest property – an apartment within One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge is currently listed at £64.9 million which, I know, is a lot of money for a five bedroom flat. Better value is to be had if you buy 22 Lyndhurst Road in Hampstead (it has a garden, for starters) as well as an interesting history. Over the past four years it has been owned by a high profile Russian oligarch who in turn bought it off a London property magnate.

Both men have spent considerable sums doing the property up and the house now

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features a very high standard of interior finish. Highlights include an Ionic columnlined indoor swimming pool and a smaller outdoor pool too plus one of the grandest entrance halls in London, according to selling agent Grant Alexson of Knight Frank, in which a huge ornate stone fireplace stands sentinel.

The property, which is on the market for £46.5 million, has been viewed on Zoopla by over 80,000 people since it came on the market in June this year. Such popularity would please the man who built this seven bedroom, six bathroom house in 1896 – Liberal Party MP and shipping millionaire Russell Rea, who twice made it into parliament representing both Gloucester and later South Shields.

What he probably wouldn’t recognise are its interiors, which are distinctly modern. This includes what Grant Alexson

describes as an opulently decorated ‘man cave’ cum office with wood panelling plus there’s a steam room, space for up to eight cars and a dining room that comfortably seats 18 people.

What most buyers might find astounding is that such a large, 14,700 sq ft property with a carriage drive and half acre back garden is to be found in the busy streets between Hampstead and Belsize Park tube stations, both of which are a short walk from the house.

But the area has, since it was first developed in the late 1860s, been a favoured spot for affluent Londoners looking for seclusion, civilisation and space away from the madness of central London. And anyone who thinks recent arrivals to the UK owning properties in this area is a new trend should remember that a wealthy Turkish diplomat once lived in nearby Rosslyn Lodge during the 1850s – a house that has sadly now been demolished.

And a nice link to this delightful diplomat is that Knight Frank reckons the property to be ‘ambassadorial’, which indeed it could be – although the children’s slide that runs down from the property’s rear sun terrace to the garden reveals a cheekier, less serious side.

108 11/12/2014 15:16

London’s Finest Residences 74 - 76 Chiltern Street, Marylebone w1 Six premier and penthouse residences providing an abundance of luxury living space, private roofgardens, balconies and 5-star amenities including – • Restaurant in-room dining • Wine cellars with tasting room • State of the art Gymnasium • Private Cinema • Private Art Gallery by David Bailey

M a r k e t i n g S u i t e AT 1 1 - 1 5 W i g m o r e S t r e e t, L o n d o n W 1 PRICES ON APPLICATION For more information about The Chilterns or to arrange a private appointment, please contact Oksana d’Offay on +44 (0)20 8418 1070 or email oksana@thechilternsw1.com CGI of Private Lobby Gallery and Garden Terrace

www.TheChilternsW1.com

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Lamont Road, SW10 SOLD

Campden Hill Court, W8 SOLD

An impressive four bedroom flat.

Asking price £4,850,000 Share of Freehold Kensington Sales 020 7938 3666

Prince Edward Mansions, W2 SOLD

A superb four bedroom house in the Ten Acre Estate.

Asking price £3,850,000 Freehold West Chelsea Sales 020 7373 1010

An outstanding five bedroom penthouse in need of modernisation.

Asking price £3,750,000 Share of Freehold Notting Hill Sales 020 7221 1111

Elm Park Gardens, SW10

Portobello Road, W11

LET

This magnificent apartment offers views over the communal gardens.

Asking price £3,500 per week Unfurnished West Chelsea Lettings 020 7373 1010

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LET

A modern three bedroom house situated in the heart of Notting Hill.

Asking price £2,250 per week Unfurnished Notting Hill Lettings 020 7221 1111

09/12/2014 05/12/2014 11:10 17:26

Cadogan Place, SW1X SOLD

Bedford Gardens, W8 LET

A large lateral flat with a double width garden.

Guide price £12,000,000 Share of Freehold Knightsbridge Sales 020 7235 9959

St Michael’s Mews, SW1W LET

An immaculately presented four bedroom contemporary townhouse.

Asking price £3,200 per week Unfurnished Knightsbridge Lettings 020 7235 9959

A beautifully presented five bedroom Grade II listed house.

Asking price £3,750 per week Unfurnished Kensington Lettings 020 7938 3866

Hans Place, SW1X

Walpole Street, SW3

SOLD

A well-proportioned flat with garden views.

Guide price £3,250,000 Share of Freehold Knightsbridge Sales 020 7235 9959

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LET

A stunning split level flat.

Asking price £895 per week Furnished Chelsea Lettings 020 7589 9966

09/12/2014 05/12/2014 11:10 17:26

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Royal Avenue, SW3 SOLD

Victoria Road, W8 LET

An outstanding stucco fronted family house sold above asking price.

Asking price £5,950,000 Freehold Chelsea Sales 020 7225 3866

A wonderful seven bedroom family house with off-street parking.

Asking price £4,750 per week Unfurnished Kensington Lettings 020 7938 3866

Ovington Gardens, SW3

Ladbroke Gardens, W11

SOLD

An elegant Knightsbridge townhouse.

Guide price £5,350,000 Freehold Knightsbridge Sales 020 7235 9959

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LET

A stunning three bedroom upper maisonette with a lift.

Asking price £1,500 per week Unfurnished Notting Hill Lettings 020 7221 1111

09/12/2014 05/12/2014 11:10 17:09

Onslow Square, SW7 SOLD

Abingdon Road, W8 SOLD

A beautiful newly remodelled three bedroom lateral apartment.

Asking price £3,000,000 Share of Freehold Chelsea Sales 020 7225 3866

A wonderful family house.

Asking price £4,150,000 Freehold Kensington Sales 020 7938 3666

Cadogan Gardens, SW3

Tor Gardens, W8

LET

A beautiful modern apartment located in this prestigious area.

Asking price £750 per week Furnished Knightsbridge Lettings 020 7235 9959

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SOLD

An outstanding family house.

Asking price £7,850,000 Freehold Kensington Sales 020 7938 3666

09/12/2014 05/12/2014 11:10 17:10

facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Rawlings Street, SW3 LET

Evelyn Gardens, SW7 LET

A stunning second floor two bedroom flat benefitting from a balcony.

Asking price £850 per week Furnished West Chelsea Lettings 020 7373 1010

Rosaville Road, SW6 LET

A beautifully refurbished house offering neutral décor throughout.

Asking price £2,200 per week Unfurnished Chelsea Lettings 020 7589 9966

An immaculate four bedroom family house in ‘The Villes’.

Asking price £995 per week Unfurnished Fulham Lettings 020 7731 7100

Evelyn Gardens, SW7

St James’s Chambers, SW1Y

SOLD

An exceptional two bedroom flat with views over communal gardens.

Asking price £2,500,000 Share of Freehold West Chelsea Sales 020 7373 1010

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LET

A beautifully presented and newly refurbished top floor flat.

Asking price £1,950 per week Furnished Knightsbridge Lettings 020 7235 9959

09/12/2014 05/12/2014 11:10 17:40

Cadogan Gardens, SW3 LET

Queensdale Place, W11 LET

A completely stunning three bedroom duplex.

Asking price £4,750 per week Furnished Chelsea Lettings 020 7589 9966

Bina Gardens, SW5 SOLD

An exceptional three bedroom penthouse maisonette.

Asking price £3,750,000 Share of Freehold West Chelsea Sales 020 7373 1010

A modern three/four bedroom house.

Asking price £1,750 per week Unfurnished Notting Hill Lettings 020 7221 1111

Palace Gate, W8

Cadogan Square, SW1X

LET

An immaculate four bedroom maisonette with a terrace.

Asking price £2,700 per week Unfurnished Kensington Lettings 020 7938 3866

SP.indd 6 SP_DPS3_RHP.indd 2

SOLD

A beautiful two bedroom penthouse.

Asking price £4,950,000 Leasehold Chelsea Sales 020 7225 3866

09/12/2014 05/12/2014 11:10 17:40

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Georgina Cartwright Head of Lettings at Strutt & Parker, Kensington

M

Photography: rebecca noonan

any agents fall into estate agency.

Very few will actually admit to having harboured aspirations of working in the industry while growing up. I had done a fine job of convincing myself that I too fell into this bracket and this is certainly the story I have stuck to over the years when asked by acquaintances why I chose to do what I do. Estate agents consistently find themselves towards the very top of the most hated professions in the UK, usually just behind bailiffs and traffic wardens, and I often find that announcing what I do to people I meet at dinner parties is a form of social suicide. But when I actually examine it though, I realise that I was heading towards this career from a young age. Growing up, my parents moved house several times, and at each juncture I would scour the property papers, magazines and particulars sent through the post, accompany all viewings and take a huge interest in the process. Later on I became an avid watcher of property programmes such as Location, Location, Location. After university, as my peers embarked on careers in the City or entered into further studies to become lawyers and doctors, I was still yet to fix my sights on any particular industry. And so I decided to spend a year working as a PA in an estate agent in Kensington, indulging my fascination with property while deciding on what I really wanted to do in the long term. Eight years later, I am still in Kensington, still at the very same company, but now I heading up the Lettings team. I am in the most fortunate position of working in a fabulous part of London, for a firm that holds values that I truly believe in. My aim throughout my career has always been to change people's perceptions of this industry and to offer a level of service that I would expect to receive. As much as property is at the centre

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

ITOW.indd 2

of my job, it’s the relationships within the process that are the most important. The greatest satisfaction in this job derives from knowing that you have placed the right people in the right property, and that both landlord and tenant are thrilled with the outcome.

In the cyclical world of lettings, it’s also fascinating to watch people and their needs change over time. We find that tenants will come back to us repeatedly as they move through life, starting out in a flat with a partner, moving onto a starter family home and then to a larger house to cater for their growing family.

The huge variety in my job is just another reason why I love being an agent in Kensington and Holland Park. In any one day I can find myself kitted out in hard hat and high-vis jacket on a building site in the morning, sitting in the cosy drawing room of a client who’s lived in their much-loved property for 30 years in the afternoon, and walking around a 7,000 sq ft off-market house complete with swimming pool and leisure suite in the evening with a VIP applicant. The thrill of agreeing a deal never lessens, and the pleasure I get from exceeding a client's expectations is always the driving force.

And after a busy day racing around central London I love being able to return home to Fulham where I’ve lived for the past five years, often choosing to clear my head with a run along the Thames path or attending a fitness boot camp in the park. Or at least that’s what I do when I’m feeling virtuous. Perhaps more often I can be found enjoying drinks and supper with friends at any one of the many great bars, pubs and restaurants. I love living in an area that offers all the benefits of living in a city whilst being within easy reach of so many great parks and the countryside of the South West.

020 7938 3866; struttandparker.com

116 11/12/2014 15:14

PROPERTY | PROFILE

117 ITOW.indd 3

JANUARY 2015

11/12/2014 15:14

FIND US ON

Prime Location HEREFORD ROAD NOTTING HILL W2

A substantial white stucco fronted family house with bright westerly aspect and large garden in a prime Notting Hill location. Two floors are dedicated to entertaining space with highlights including a magnificent raised ground floor double reception room, large eat in kitchen, additional dining room and a wonderful 54 ft walled garden accessed via both the reception and dining room.

5 B E D R O O M S , 2 B AT H R O O M S , 2 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S , K I TC H E N / D I N I N G R O O M , U T I L I T Y R O O M , C LOA KROOM , GARDEN.

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FREEHOLD ÂŁ4,450,000 BOB CROWLEY BC@BECTIVE.CO.UK NOTTING HILL OFFICE 020 7221 4805

22 0 SQ M / 2 , 3 6 8 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G F

10/12/2014 09/12/2014 11:16 19:14

CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

FIND US ON

0 2 0 76 0 3 51 8 1

Heavenly Views TA L B OT R OA D N OT T I N G H I L L W 2

An exquisite family home with serene outlook in a sought after Notting Hill enclave. This stunning property has been meticulously designed with emphasis on sophisticated, contemporary living space and natural light. Highlights include charming front and rear gardens, a magnificent double reception room, a sensational 36 ft+ open plan kitchen/dining room and an indulgent first floor master suite.

5 B E D R O O M S , E N S U I T E B AT H R O O M , 2 S H OW E R R O O M S , R E C E P T I O N R O O M , K I TC H E N / D I N I N G R O O M , UTLITY ROOM , CLOAKROOM , GARDEN .

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FREEHOLD ÂŁ4,650,000 BOB CROWLEY BC@BECTIVE.CO.UK NOTTING HILL OFFICE 020 7221 4805

253 SQ M / 2 ,72 0 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G D

10/12/2014 09/12/2014 11:16 19:14

FIND US ON

Scrubs Up Well DALGARNO GARDENS NORTH KENSINGTON W1 0

An extremely stylish semi-detached house that has been recently extended and renovated to create a fantastic family home. The open plan ground floor area opens out onto an exceptional and large south facing garden. The property is beautifully appointed throughout and enjoys flexible accommodation on the upper floors having successfully converted the attic space.

4 B E D R O O M S , D R E SS I N G R O O M , 2 B AT H R O O M S ( 1 E N S U I T E ) , C LOA K R O O M , R E C E P T I O N R O O M , K I TC H E N / D I N I N G R O O M , E AV E S S T O R AG E , F L AT R O O F, F R O N T A N D R E A R G A R D E N S .

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FREEHOLD ÂŁ1,850,000 M AT T H E W M A R C H A N T MM@BECTIVE.CO.UK LADBROKE GROVE OFFICE 020 7221 0330

13 8 SQ M / 1 ,70 1 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G E

10/12/2014 09/12/2014 11:16 19:18

CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

FIND US ON

0 2 0 76 0 3 51 8 1

Victorian Villa HIGHLEVER ROAD NORTH KENSINGTON W1 0

A stylish three storey Victorian villa house teaming with contemporary features and finished to exacting standards, it offers you chic but practical family living in this charming corner of North Kensington.

Highlever Road runs north off Oxford Gardens with this property being close to Kelfield Gardens. The area also benefits from Kensington & Chelsea residents parking.

4 B E D R O O M S , 2 B AT H R O O M ( 1 E N S U I T E ) , C LOA K R O O M , R E C E P T I O N R O O M , K I TC H E N , D I N I N G R O O M , GARDEN.

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FREEHOLD ÂŁ2,400,000 M AT T H E W M A R C H A N T MM@BECTIVE.CO.UK LADBROKE GROVE OFFICE 020 7221 0330

1 8 6 SQ M / 2 ,0 12 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G D

10/12/2014 09/12/2014 11:16 19:18

FIND US ON

Heart of Kensington CAMPDEN GROVE KENSINGTON W8

A rarely available split level apartment set within a handsome period conversion in the heart of Kensington. Well presented throughout, this attractive raised ground floor property offers light and spacious accommodation complete with period features and an attractive private patio.

3 B E D R O O M S , 2 B AT H R O O M S , R E C E P T I O N R O O M , K I TC H E N , PAT I O .

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SHARE OF FREEHOLD ÂŁ1,20 0,0 0 0 KENSINGTON K T@ B EC T I V E .CO. U K KENSINGTON OFFICE 020 7795 4288

70 SQ M / 753 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G C

10/12/2014 09/12/2014 11:16 19:18

CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

L ADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

FIND US ON

0 2 0 76 0 3 51 8 1

A Hidden Gem GREGORY PL ACE KENSINGTON W8

An elegant property, offering a bespoke luxury lifestyle, prestigiously yet discreetly located in the heart of Kensington. Stylishly arranged over three floors within this charming period building, this beautiful home has been fully refurbished and interior designed to exacting standards throughout offering an impressive, contemporary lifestyle.

2 B E D R O O M S , 2 B AT H R O O M S , R E C E P T I O N R O O M , K I TC H E N / D I N I N G R O O M , P R I VAT E PAT I O .

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LEASEHOLD ÂŁ1,295,000 KENSINGTON K T@ B EC T I V E .CO. U K KENSINGTON OFFICE 020 7795 4288

1 0 4 SQ M / 1 ,11 6 SQ FT APPROX E N E RGY R AT I N G G

10/12/2014 09/12/2014 11:16 19:19

FIND US ON

Luxurious Lifestyle Q U E E N ’ S GAT E M E WS S O U T H K E N S I N GTO N S W 7

UNFURNISHED £2 ,495 PER WEEK

A luxurious interior designed house within this popular mews in South Kensington. Refurbished to the highest standard, this elegant property offers a PoggenPohl kitchen, with stone heated flooring in the kitchen and dining area, hardwood floors throughout and garage. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), reception room, kitchen, dining room, cloakroom, garage. EPC Rating C.

F R A N C E S C A F O R T U N AT I FF@BECTIVE.CO.UK KENSINGTON OFFICE 020 7795 4288

Period Elegance ST. CHARLES SQUARE NORTH KENSINGTON W1 0

UNFURNISHED £2 , 30 0 PER WEEK

An impressive detached period house which has been sympathetically refurbished maintaining many original features, including cornicing, feature fireplaces and stained glass windows. 5 bedrooms, dressing room, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), 3 en suite shower rooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/dining room, cloakroom, kitchenette, utility room, wine cellar, garden. EPC Rating E.

K A T E F LY N N

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KF@BECTIVE.CO.UK NOTTING HILL OFFICE 020 7221 5388

10/12/2014 09/12/2014 11:16 19:19

CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

FIND US ON

0 2 0 76 0 3 51 8 1

Clarendon Cross Q U E E N S DA L E R OA D H O L L A N D PA R K W 1 1

U N F U R N I S H E D £1 , 2 9 5 P E R WE E K

A striking corner house benefitting from an abundance of natural light. The property boasts a wonderful kitchen/living area with double height ceilings which is ideal for entertaining, well proportioned bedrooms and a spacious roof terrace at the top of the building. 4 bedrooms, bathroom, en suite shower room, reception room, kitchen/dining room, study, cloakroom, roof terrace. EPC Rating E.

K A T E F LY N N KF@BECTIVE.CO.UK NOTTING HILL OFFICE 020 7221 5388

Lateral Living KENSINGTON HIGH STREET KENSINGTON W14

FURNISHED £1,095 PER WEEK

An exceptional lateral apartment within one of the newest and most prestigious new developments in Kensington. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), open plan kitchen/ reception room, balcony, terrace, 24h Harrods concierge, spa with pool, sauna and gym, cinema room for residents, private parking. EPC Rating C.

F R A N C E S C A FO R T U N ATI

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FF@BECTIVE.CO.UK KENSINGTON OFFICE 020 7795 4288

10/12/2014 09/12/2014 11:16 19:19

Property News Palace Gardens Terrace, W8, £5,000 Per Week

HOUSE HUNTING

with...

AMANDA BASTIN

Manager/Associate Director at Douglas & Gordon, Kensington 020 7792 1331; douglasandgordon.com

Rentals Rising MATTHEW MANN

Director at Sandersons London 020 7602 6725; sandersonslondon.co.uk

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

NEWS.2.indd 146

Most satisfying transaction I’ve had: A beautiful house was to be rented to a family but many obstacles arose before completing (including obtaining planning permission for transforming the interior).

outside looks like any other but inside opens up to a modern and funky interior. The best feature is a slide from the bedroom to the kitchen below - making the transition from bed to breakfast extremely easy!

Most interesting property I’ve been involved with: A gorgeous property in Chelsea which the owners were thinking about refurbishing.

The house had an incredible interior and was steeped in history. Every visit to this home was an enormous pleasure.

Most unusual interior: A mews house with a hot-tub in the kitchen! I never thought I’d see so many different types of animals in properties owned by tenants. These included rabbits, tortoises, birds, tarantulas, chameleons and snakes.

The property I’d most like on our books is: A house in Notting Hill which from the

T

he lettings market is poised to benefit from softening demand in the sales market. We are seeing enquiries and viewing levels increasing week on week and have seen a rise in rents, in some cases almost 5-10%, the highest we have seen for more than three years. International tenants have accounted for more than 65% of our tenants, with Western Europeans and Americans leading the way.

Finest Property Showcase: Palace Gardens Terrace, W8, £5,000 Per Week. A stunning apartment just moments from Hyde Park.

Spotlight on

W2

Average asking price - £1,800,102 Average asking rent - £3,416 pcm Average property value - £1,198,073

Data provided by

126 11/12/2014 15:15

PROPERTY | ROUND UP

The INSIDE SCOOP of NEWS in your area

SAFE AS HOUSES

KFH scoops prestigious award for Completely London magazine at CMA Awards

MATTHEW HARROP

C

Director of John D Wood & Co., Kensington 020 7908 1100; johndwood.co.uk

ompletely London, the customer magazine produced

by KFH, has won yet another award. Editor, Donna Hardie, won Editor of the Year at the International Content Marketing Awards.

This brings the total number of awards for the publication up to 8 in just five years. Anna Macleod, Head of Marketing and Communications at KFH, comments: 'The majority of our customers are London savvy so the aim has been to produce content that makes the reader say, "Well I didn’t know that"

M

atthew Harrop, Director of John D Wood & Co. has worked for the Kensington branch since 2003. He is in his 25th year of working for John D Wood & Co., and previously worked in the company’s Belgravia and Fulham offices. He looks through 20 years of property details, showcasing the outstanding price increases whilst highlighting what a sound investment bricks and mortar can be.

Princedale Road Sold in 1986 for £380,000 Estimated value today: £3,500,000

Introducing...

Queensdale Road Sold in 1985 for £150,000 Estimated value today: £3,500,000

RISTA BACKOVIC

Director of Finlay Brewer, Acton 020 8993 6929; finlaybrewer.co.uk

A buoyant new year market MICHAEL WILSON

Director-Head of Sales at Mountgrange Heritage 020 7243 7888; mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

W

hen I was 12, my father bought a hostel in Earls Court, a beautiful Victorian building desperately in need of some attention, so upon leaving school it made sense to me to keep working with my dad to revamp the hotel and create a new family business. Over the years, we turned the hostel from a 3* into a 4* hotel and along the way I learnt French, Polish and

2

015 looks set to be an interesting year for the property market with an election in May and of course the threat of a ‘mansion tax’. Contrary to all the reported cooling off, the current market is genuinely quite positive, particularly in the sub-£2m market. In the last month alone we’ve completed four sales where competing bids pushed the sale over the asking price. In particular the market for family-orientated houses in and around North Kensington, Kensal Rise and Queens Park is still buoyant. With mortgage rates at an all-time low (five year fixed deals are available for as little as 2.5%) this is a great time to capitalise on a steady market with a well-balanced dynamic.

PRIME LOCATION.COM

about the postcodes and areas around them. It’s been a powerful tool for customer engagement which showcases not only the properties we are marketing but also really highlights our local knowledge and expertise within the London property market.' kfh.co.uk Bulgarian to add to my English and Serbian; I am originally from Montenegro. The French stood me in particularly good stead when a stunning French girl came looking for a room. To cut a long story short, she is now my wife and the mother of my two gorgeous daughters. In fact it was Vanessa who encouraged me to take the role at Finlay Brewer.

When I say ‘encouraged’, she actually put my CV forward and my career as an estate agent was born. I loved my new environment and over the years I worked my way up from being a junior negotiator to becoming Lettings Director. Our new branch enables us to offer owners, landlords and those looking to buy or rent in West London an informed and independent view about this exciting area and to offer even more opportunities to our clients as our horizons continue to expand westwards.

SUGGESTS

You can use our market-leading free smartphone and tablet apps on any device to search over a million properties instantly whilst on the move. So, no matter where you are or what device you're on, you can now access properties for sale and to rent and much more when you are out and about. Find out more here: (www.primelocation.com/apps/)

127 NEWS.2.indd 147

JANUARY 2015

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Marylebone

ÂŁ1,500 pw Unfurnished

4 Bedrooms | 2 Receptions | 2 Bathrooms | House Patio Garden | Garage | Near Tube & Amenities | EPC- D Hyde Park 020 3417 3703 hyde@brlets.co.uk

Eleven offices open six days a week Monday - Saturday Beaufort Park | Canary Wharf | City | Ealing | Greenwich | Hampstead | Highgate | Hyde Park | Imperial Wharf | Kensington | Knightsbridge Additional charges apply: Tenancy Agreement, Credit Check & Inventory Report. For details visit www.brlets.co.uk/tenantinfo

BENHAM_REEVES.indd 1

11/12/2014 15:37

To arrange a viewing or for more information call

020 7319 9783

Regents Park

£465 pw Furnished

London’s Letting Agency

info@brlets.co.uk www.brlets.co.uk

Kensington

£575 pw Furnished

1 Bedroom | Reception | 1 Bathroom | Period Apartment 24hr Concierge | Near Amenities & Tube | EPC – C Hyde Park 020 3417 3703 hyde@brlets.co.uk

2 Bedrooms | Reception | 1 Bathroom | Period Apartment Balcony | Close To Amenities & Tube | EPC – D Kensington 020 3302 5674 kens@brlets.co.uk

Kensington

Notting Hill Borders

£600 pw Furnished

1 Bedroom | Reception | 1 Bathroom | Apartment 24hr Porter | Lift | Gym | Pool | EPC – B Kensington 020 3302 5674 kens@brlets.co.uk

£600 pw Furnished

2 Bedrooms | Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Apartment Balcony | Tube & Amenities Nearby | EPC – C Hyde Park 020 3417 3703 hyde@brlets.co.uk

Dubai | Hong Kong | India | Malaysia | Singapore

BENHAM_REEVES.indd 2

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020 7328 2828 62 Salusbury Road, NW6 6NS www.queensparkpartnership.co.uk

EPC - D

WRENTHAM AVENUE, NW10

£2,199,950 Freehold

A well presented 5 bedroom family home arranged over 3 floors with many period features and off street parking. Wrentham Avenue is close to the tranquil beauty of Queens Park and between the popular Chamberlayne Road & Salusbury Road with their eclectic mix of shops, bars & restaurants.

• Over 2500 SQFT of living space • Off-street parking & 60’ rear garden • 5 bedrooms, period features • Great location, must be viewed.

EPC - D

CARLISLE ROAD, NW6

£825,000 Share of Freehold

A bright and spacious 2 bedroom/2 bathroom split level apartment occupying the first and attic floors of this mid terraced period conversion. The flat boasts over 1000 SQFT of living space and is offered in good condition throughout. Carlisle Road is a pretty tree lined road situated in this quiet residential location.

• Split level flat, over 1000 SQFT • Close to Queens Park & Salusbury Road • Well presented, close to transport • No onward chain, viewing essential

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EPC - D

CHEVENING ROAD, NW6

£675,000 Leasehold

A charming 2 double bedroom apartment situated on the raised ground floor of a converted 3 storey period house. The flat boasts a modern open plan kitchen and many other period features. The property is situated close to the green open spaces of Queens Park coupled with numerous transport links and local amenities.

• Well presented, wood flooring • Period features, sash windows • Close to transport & Salusbury Road • Close to Queens Park, must be viewed

EPC - C

WRENTHAM AVENUE, NW10

£1,800 per week + fees

Available for rent is an immaculately refurbished and fully extended 3096 SQFT 5/6 bedroom family house with a self-contained flat occupying the entire lower ground floor. The house boasts a beautiful landscaped garden and the entire property has been renovated to a very high standard.

• Great location, close to Queens Park • 3096 SQFT of living space over 4 floors • Self-contained flat, separate access • Fully refurbished, high specification

QUEENS_PARKUSE.indd 3

11/12/2014 16:38

275 Willesden Lane, Willesden Green, London, NW2 5JA Tel: 020 8459 1133 Fax: 020 8451 2008 enquiries@cameronsstiff.co.uk www.cameronsstiff.co.uk

EPC - D

Teignmouth Road, NW2

£799,950 Share of Freehold

Situated in the heart of the Mapesbury Conservation Area in

•

Stunning fully fitted kitchen/diner

this large converted detached house and spanning just over

•

Master bedroom with en-suite

1100 sq ft over 1st & 2nd floor is this refurbished apartment

•

Large south facing reception room

in convenient location offered Chain Free. Viewing essential.

•

Double glazing, underfloor heating

EPC - D

Litchfield Road, NW10

£845,000 Freehold

Lovingly restored by the current owners is this semi-

•

3 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms

detached family home spanning 1292 sq ft retaining many

•

Modern well presented kitchen/diner

of the original character features including solid oak flooring

•

Mature 36ft south west facing rear garden

throughout. Room to extend further (STPP).

•

Storage area, good transport links – Jubilee

www.cameronsstiff.co.uk

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EPC - C

Normanby Road, NW10

£899,950 Freehold

Situated within Dollis Hill is this outstanding 4 bed period

•

Open plan kitchen, conservatory

house cleverly combining contemporary and period features.

•

Reception room with bay windows

Within walking distance to the stunning Gladstone Park &

•

21 ft master bedroom suite in loft

Dollis Hill station (zone 3). Viewing recommended.

•

40ft rear garden with decking & storage

EPC - F

Teignmouth Road, NW2

£2,295,000 Freehold

Situated over 4 floors is this detached house offering an •

7 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms

impressive 4260 sq ft on the Mapesbury Conservation Area. •

Kitchen, 2 studies & utility room

In need of some updating the property affords a buyer the •

Substantial 91 ft rear garden, garage/studio

opportunity to renovate to their own style & taste. Great location!

Cellar, FGCH & D/G. Viewing recommended

CAMERON_STIFF.indd 3

•

12/12/2014 09:21

PROPERTY | NEW TO THE MARKET

Luxurious Lettings St Stephens Gardens, W2, £510 Per Week

P

resenting a stunning third floor flat in this popular street that offers outstanding living space, modern kitchen, two double bedrooms and is only a short walk to Whiteleys and Royal Oak station. Bayswater has an Underground station in Zone 1 offering Circle and District Line services.

KFH, Bayswater 020 7563 5090; kfh.co.uk

Praed Street, W2,

Opal Mews, NW6,

A

Kensington Court Place, W8, £2,300 Per Week

bright and tastefully presented one bedroom apartment on the seventh floor of a popular development in Paddington, only a short walk from amenities and the tube.

eautiful three bedroom house just south of Hyde Park. The property comprises of two reception rooms, fitted kitchen and breakfast room and private patio.

stunning, five bedroom contemporary designed mews house. The house has a wealth of bespoke features and unparalleled levels of interior design.

Benham & Reeves Residential Lettings, Hyde Park,020 7402 9866; brlets.co.uk

Rickman Properties, Kensington 020 7937 9777; rickmanproperties.com

Bective Leslie Marsh, Notting Hill 020 7221 5388; bective.co.uk

£465 Per Week

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Since 1958 Sales. Lettings. Property Management

For Sale

Warrington Crescent, W9

ÂŁ2,450,000

A stunning and rarely available four double bedroom maisonette across the upper floors of this impressive, stucco fronted Victorian building. The property benefits from many original period features, a private roof terrace as well as views over and resident access to the wonderful Formosa Garden. Warrington Crescent is situated in the heart of Little Venice, a stone’s throw from the shops of Formosa Street and Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo Line) Underground Station. Sole agent.

Share of Freehold

www.westways.co.uk 20 Great Western Road, London W9 3NN 020 7286 5757 | sales@westways.co.uk | rentals@westways.co.uk

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Kensington Park Gardens

Notting Hill W11

£6,000 per week

A grand 6 bedroom family town house, in the best Notting Hill location with spectacular communal gardens. The property boasts fabulous entertaining space with 2 double receptions, a separate kitchen & bedrooms beautifully arranged over 5 floors.

EPC rating D

Notting Hill

020 3040 8588 lettings.nottinghill@chestertons.com

Additional tenant charges apply. Administration: £222. References per tenant/guarantor.

Inventory check (approx. £95 – £250 plus VAT. chestertons.com/property-to-rent/applicable-fees

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Chepstow Villas

Notting Hill W11

Rare to the market this large unmodernised period house on Chepstow Villas, which benefits from a great location, off street parking & garden. It comprises 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms & 3 reception rooms. The property could benefit from renovation & could be extended (STP).

EPC rating D

ÂŁ6,250,000 guide price freehold

Notting Hill

020 3040 8585 sales.nottinghill@chestertons.com

chestertons.com

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Smart knows where to be seen when selling.

Over 30 million visits per month

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020 7371 4171 LOCAL

.

BROOK GREEN 138 SHEPHERDS BUSH ROAD W6 7PB ASKEW ROAD 113 ASKEW ROAD W12 9AS

INDEPENDENT

.

INVOLVED CMYK

HAMMERSMITH GROVE W6 5 BEDROOMS • ELEGANT RECEPTION • KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM TV/MEDIA ROOM • 3 BATHROOMS (2 EN SUITE) • GUEST CLOAKROOM FABULOUS WEST FACING GARDEN • OFF STREET PARKING FOR 2 CARS • EPC RATING E 49

GUIDE £2.75M

FREEHOLD

www.finlaybrewer.co.uk

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PROPERTY | NEW TO THE MARKET

Prime Purchase

VENDOR ADVICE

How a vendor can achieve the best price

A

chieving the best price will depend on who is representing the sale. Many estate agents are focussed on simply 'doing the deal', rather than making sure they maximise their client's return. I was talking to a friend this week, who planned to make an offer on a property - but the agent suggested they wait a week, when the seller will almost certainly reduce their asking price. I was gob-smacked.

Clearly, my friend was delighted to be told this 'insider' information, but if I was the seller, I would be furious! Their agent had just talked their client out of £20k. At Marsh & Parsons, we achieve the best price, not just because of our sheer determination, but because we work towards the same objective getting the highest price. One way of achieving this is to cast the buyer-net as widely as possible. We operate an 'open register' policy – staff from all our London offices will focus on introducing their buyers to properties listed with all of our neighbouring offices. Indeed, on average, 20% of the properties we sell are sold by a negotiator based in another office and that number is even higher in our area, where buyers registered with our Notting Hill or Holland Park offices are tempted over to North Kensington because of the cheaper price tag. My advice is this; meet with several reputable estate agents, ask them for a detailed sales strategy and be confident that they can deliver on their promise. That's how you'll get the best price.

Abingdon Villas,W8,

Chevening Road, NW6,

n outstanding five bedroom family house, occupying approximately 2,982 sq ft, with excellent entertaining space, a wonderful garden and off-street parking.

A

eautifully refurbished and fully extended 2,789 sq ft, five bedroom family house. Boasting a 63’ south facing rear garden, a basement, loft conversion and fantastic master suite.

Strutt & Parker, Kensington 020 7938 3666; struttandparker.com

Queens Park Partnership, 020 7328 2828; queensparkpartnership.co.uk

Abbotsbury Road, W14,

Bassett Road, W10,

single piece cast concrete staircase with mezzanine landing gives a grand entrance to this beautifully designed five bedroom house with separate studio.

A

classic two double bedroom first floor apartment offering large bay windows and full height ceilings, the large master bedroom overlooks gardens to the rear.

A

Associate Director & Sales Manager at Marsh & Parsons, North Kensington

John D Wood & Co, Kensington 020 7908 1100; johndwood.co.uk

Winkworth, North Kensington 020 7792 5000; winkworth.co.uk

020 7313 8350; marshandparsons.co.uk

£5,900,000

£5,250,000 Freehold

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£2,895,000

B

£825,000 Share of Freehold

MATT BIGGADIKE

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T: +44 (0)20 7173 6412

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PROPERTY | AWARDS

The ESTAS awards Why is customer service so important for estate agents? Any agent not providing excellent service will get found out very quickly, especially in this day and age of social media. To help agents we’ve designed an auto Tweet facility so agents can get their positive feedback comments straight out on social media networks creating their own online ‘customer care’ PR campaigns.

Why have the ESTAs joined forces with the Absolutely London titles this year?

We just want to spread The ESTAs message to as many quality agents as possible and Absolutely has lots of those!

They are just the type of agents who would benefit most from taking part.

How can members of the public vote/ rate their agent? Your agent needs to be registered with us before you can rate them so if they’re not let them know and email us via our website.

Absolutely Property is joined by…

SIMON BROWN

Why did you decide to start the ESTAS? My wife Sarah used to work for a local agent and it wasn’t until then that I realised how hard the job was. There are so many different factors to every deal and so many problems that can cause chains to fail. I realised then that most estate and letting agencies have a reputation they really don’t deserve. So I decided to start an award

Has it grown over the years?

Absolutely! It’s gone from strength to strength because the concept is simple and the benefits to agents start as soon as they sign up. The ESTAS logo on an agents’ website sends a clear message to new customers that the agent believes in providing the best service and they’re happy to prove it. As part of the competition process we also provide detailed client feedback reports to all agents taking part which enables them to measure their performance, highlights their strengths and weaknesses and helps them improve their service.

Entries for The ESTAS 2015 competition close on 31st December.

The 12th annual ESTAS ceremony takes place at the Hilton Park Lane on 17th April 2015. The awards will be presented by TV Property Expert Phil Spencer.

Phil Spencer

Founder of The ESTAS, Estate & Letting Agent Awards

scheme which recognises agents for the levels of customer service they provided their clients. However, I didn’t want to go down the route of a judging panel. I think if you’re going to judge any company in any industry on service the best people to rate that experience are the customers themselves. We managed to get Phil Spencer, the TV Property Expert, involved so in 2004 The ESTAS were born.

How can estate agents enter?

Agents can register by completing a simple entry form at www.theestas.com.

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LISTENING UNDERSTANDING OUR CLIENTS

that ’s what we do…

020 7937 9777 www.rickmanproperties.com

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PROPERTY | NEWS

Buying off market PHILIP EASTWOOD

Partner at The Buying Solution 020 7591 2640; thebuyingsolution.co.uk

P The London Management Company provides both property and related lifestyle services to both private and corporate clients.

From finding the perfect home, investment or office through to managing a pied a terre, rental property or building we offer the services and advice required to extract the maximum value out of our clients property investment.

You breathe, we do the rest.

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hilip has worked in the prime property market for over 25 years where he started his career in a boutique agency in Chelsea in 1988. Prior to joining TBS in January 2015, Philip worked for Knight Frank since 2000 when the Notting Hill office opened and had previously worked for another international agent in Knightsbridge and Kensington.

Working alongside the rest of the TBS London team, Philip is able to deliver a highly focused, professional and discreet service, providing his clients the best opportunities to purchase in such a complex and competitive market.

Looking at all the various property websites, portals and social media accounts, the assumption is that all property is represented on the web. This, however, is not the case. Many vendors prefer discretion and do not want their property actively marketed in a global pool. They are often high net worth individuals who do not wish to attract attention to themselves and prefer to transact out of the glare of the public eye. In many instances these are the most sought-after properties. Our role is to locate, source and evaluate these properties through our personal and business contacts, which a buyer may not be aware of. The other benefit is that your email account will not be jam packed with endless unsuitable properties that are consistently matched to you by a computer system that invariably never understands your needs. We are here to source the ‘wheat from the chaff ’. An estate agent’s primary responsibility is to look after the vendor and obtain the best price. Our role, as buying agents, is to make your requirements centre stage and to negotiate for you a favourable price, advise throughout the transaction and to take the stress out of the purchase of a home.

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SELLING YOUR PROPERTY?

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR FREE AND IMPARTIAL APPRAISAL & ADVISORY SERVICE. WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE A TRANSPARENT AND UNPARALLELED SERVICE TO ALL OUR CLIENTS, PROVIDING YOU WITH THE BEST REPRESENTATION FOR ALL YOUR PROPERTY NEEDS.

TEL: 020 7148 1109  WWW.PRIME-REALTY.CO 288 KENSINGTON HIGH STREET.LONDON W14 8NZ

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PROPERTY | STYLE BIBLE

300 YEARS of the Georgians Wo r d s N I G E L L E W I S

a celebration of georgian architecture

This year we’ve all been remembering those who died during the First World War, however 2014 is the anniversary of a less famous but happier event – the 300-year anniversary of London’s Georgian homes, which were built from 1714 until the 1790s.

It started with the arrival of George I, the first of four Georges, who heralded a period of architectural revolution as London embraced several generations of architects all obsessed with the order of Palladian architecture. This included familiar names including Wren, Hawksmoor, Vanbrugh, Nash, Soane, Holland and the Adam brothers – designers who all, along with many imitators, brought a new and distinctive look to London. Georgian, though, is not a precise term. Pure Georgian architecture began with a Palladian influenced style that ran from 1714 to 1760 but was then followed by the Adam period (named after Scottish brothers Robert and James Adam) until the 1790s, after which the Regency period began.

Symmetry

Order, symmetry and proportion frown down from the brick and stone of London’s Georgian properties as do their large sash windows (an innovation introduced by the

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Georgians), railings and, if you’ve ventured inside one at any time in your life, their wood panelling and wide floorboards.

At the moment the most fashionable Georgian area of London is Spitalfields, whose Hugenot-era houses were saved from being demolished by a group of enthusiasts during the 1970s and which have now become highly desirable and often authentically restored properties.

But there’s plenty to choose from if you don’t want to live there. London experienced one of its most energetic bursts of expansion under the rule of the four Georges (helped by the availability of new build plots following the Great Fire of London in 1666) and by 1753 it had become larger than Constantinople, making it the biggest city in the world.

Perhaps the prettiest and most intact Georgian gem north of the Thames is Bedford Square, between Tottenham Court Road and the British Museum; an undisturbed piece of Georgian construction dating from the late 1770s.

The most famous however is Canonbury Square in Islington; in large part because authors Evelyn Waugh and George Orwell once lived there. But while there’s history, owning a 300-year-old property comes with maintenance responsibilities.

Georgian properties are well known for needing regular refurbishments as wooden door and window lintels lead to sagging apertures, roof trusses crumble after several centuries of duty and chimney stacks wobble as masonry fails. Despite German bombing and the frequent threat of demolition (especially when out of fashion), huge swathes of Georgian buildings still stand and North of the river Georgian properties run from Hyde Park to the City and up as far as Islington, which is still one of the bastions of this period's homes, as well as Highgate (which is home to Little Green Street, a wholly intact street built during the 1780s). Georgian London had less impact south of the river but made it to Clapham Old Town, which is full of the period’s signature flat-fronted, parapet-topped terraced streets.

Despite the fact that we have lost a large amount of London’s Georgian property to demolition and destruction, what remains forms part of London’s history and character. On the 300th anniversary of London’s Georgian homes we can be confident that what is left is cherished and will be well looked after.

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Looking to buy or sell?

We’ll make sure everything goes smoothly for you this winter.

Winkworth North Kensington 020 7792 5000 northkensington@winkworth.co.uk 141 Ladbroke Grove, W10 6HJ

winkworth.co.uk/north-kensington

See things differently.

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MW, W14

£1,395,000

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t: 020 7602 6725

For Sale - A choice of two stylish 2 bedroom - 2 bathroom apartments in the heart of London. High-end specifications include oak herringbone flooring, heated bathroom walls, and delightful winter-gardens. Units benefit from dual aspect balconies, maximizing daylight and affording stunning views across London.

Merchant Square W2

Upper Addison Gardens £1,100,000

SALE AGREED

Sandersons have provided a first class job over the years, they have delivered beyond expectation, first with the letting of our flat and recently selling it. Impressed with their wealth of knowledge and breadth of experience gives them the edge over their competitors

£480,000

For Sale - Superbly located one bedroom flat in an attractive period building near Hyde Park. The property features a 20ft reception room and a modern fitted kitchen. Clanricarde Gardens is located moments from the restaurants, shops and bars of Notting Hill, Kensington High Street and Portobello, and open spaces of Hyde Park.

Clanricarde Gardens W2

£4,750,000

Offers in excess of £775,000

18/11/2014 14:15

www.sandersonslondon.co.uk

For Sale - A two bed- 2 bathroom apartment with large south facing terrace. The Ink building is a high specification development with lifts, a communal garden, bike parking, concierge service and CCTV. The area is well served by local transport is convenient to restaurants and bars along Portobello Road.

Ink building W10

For Sale - An outstanding five bedroom double fronted family residence offering 3122 sq ft of living space.

Arranged over five floors and benefiting from a self-contained flat on the lower ground floor this property is situated on a prime leafy road a short stroll from local amenities and stations. The property benefits from high ceilings, beautiful cornicing, wooden flooring and a wealth of elegant period features.

Westbourne Park Road W2

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£550 p/w

Barlby Road

£700 p/w

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t: 020 7602 6725

To Let - A fabulous two bedroom apartment in a beautiful converted building just off Notting Hill Gate. This stunning flat boasts a generous reception room with high ceilings, large master bedroom with good wardrobe space, second bedroom with fitted storage, modern kitchen with appliances.

Linden Gardens W2

Gina, W10

LET BY

Victor contacted me out of the blue regarding our apartment in the Ink Building, it had been on the market for over a month with several local agents. He and his team were extremely pro-active. Within a week of instructing Sanderson’s a new long term tenancy was secured.

Great work by Victor and his team!!

£1,700 p/w

£595 p/w

To Let - Set within a Victorian building is this fantastic 1100 sq.ft, 2 bed garden flat. The property is well presented throughout and features a large reception room ideal for entertaining. Additional benefits include access to communal gardens.

Holland Park Gardens W11

£600 p/w

18/11/2014 14:15

www.sandersonslondon.co.uk

To Let - A light and wonderfully presented 2 bedroom property on one of Notting Hill’s most distinguished streets.The flat occupies the entire top floor of a beautiful period building consisting of two double bedrooms, modern bathroom and fully equipped integrated kitchen.

Arundel Garden

Let By- Nestled in the heart one of Notting Hill’s most sought-after mews, this unique character property highlights its classic elements whilst incorporating state-of-the-art features. Set across four floors, skylights, glass panelling and an impressive glass staircase allow for an abundance of natural light to flow through the property.

Pembridge Mews W11

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15/09/2014 10:13

The sea is our home.

Imagine the ultimate lifestyle that comes with combining both a private yacht and a luxury vacation home. A home that takes you all around the globe, allowing you to wake up to new scenery outside your private balcony every few days.

That is what life is like aboard The World, the largest private yacht on the planet.

Ownership of an apartment on The World affords you the freedom, adventure, and personal detail of living aboard a luxury yacht without all the challenges that usually accompany it.

Owners & Guests enjoy extensive time in each destination, expert guides and lecturers, and in-depth Expeditions unlike anything you could experience elsewhere.

Apartments aboard The World are extremely limited. If you would like to learn more about the Ship or ownership opportunities, please contact your Residential Advisor at ResidentialAdvisor@aboardtheworld.com or +1 954 573 2583.

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Holland Park, W11 ÂŁ1,850,000 Share of Freehold

An exquisite raised ground floor apartment located in the heart of Holland Park just moments from the park itself and all the shops, cafes and tube station on Holland Park Avenue. The property was remodelled by renowned architects Michaelis Boyd and offers grand proportions with natural light flooding through the huge windows. EPC=D. Double reception room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and communal garden. Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 sam@mountgrangerheritage.co.uk

mountgrangeheritage.co.uk Bayswater 020 7402 0070

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Kensington 020 7937 9976

North Kensington 020 8960 0181

Notting Hill 020 7221 2277

11/12/2014 17:40

Not just any estate agent‌ proudly pet friendly

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douglasandgordon.com

Ruston Mews W11 ÂŁ1,799,500 Freehold Notting Hill Sales 020 7727 7777 | nhsales@dng.co.uk

South

Balham

Battersea

North

Chelsea

Fulham

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Battersea Park

A completely renovated and restored mews house, which is generous in size and arranged over three floors. The property is set within a private and gated mews and offers a private, off-street, parking space.

Clapham

East Putney

Hammersmith & Shepherd’s Bush

Kensington

3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Shower room, Open-plan kitchen/ reception room, Off-street parking, Roof terrace, EPC: D.

Southfields & Earlsfield

West Putney

Kensington Gate

South Kensington

Notting Hill

Pimlico & Westminster

10/12/2014 10:50

There’s nothing average about London property prices.

London’s complex property market is performing very differently from area to area. If you’re thinking about selling or letting, make sure you talk to our experts first. douglasandgordon.com

Residential Sales & Lettings I Property Management I Corporate & Relocation Services I Professional Valuations I Asset Management

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Completely at home in West London.

Our services Sales and Lettings Property Management Block Management Property Solicitors Chartered Surveyors Financial Services Visit kfh.co.uk

With over 35 years’ experience and 50 branches across the Capital, our local knowledge and London network will ensure we achieve the right result for you.

Local branches include: • Bayswater • Fulham • Holland Park • Marylebone

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