Interiors: Victorian dandy and perfumer Atkinsons returns to Burlington Arcade and we get an early preview of its 19th century-inspired decor November 24, 2017 On the black marble bar the bottles of pale and amber liquid are neatly lined up in a row. I inhale the powerful aromas one at a time like a fine wine or rare whisky. This bar, however, doesn’t serve booze, it’s the centrepiece of the new Atkinsons fragrance shop in Burlington Arcade and the [...]
Interiors: As we face a future without wood-burning stoves, we look at alternative ways to fire up the home November 16, 2017 Earlier this autumn Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, caused a storm by announcing plans to put restrictions on wood-burning stoves, forbidding the burning of solid fuel in certain zones. If they go ahead, it’s not only the authenticity of a stone-baked pizza from your favourite pizzeria that would be extinguished – the aromas and hypnotic [...]
Interiors: How to commission a tapestry and why they’re making a surprising comeback in British homes October 4, 2017 The lengths some people will go to for a wedding. In 2013 Prince Albert II of Monaco paraded his bride along a red carpet 103 metres long and weighing a mighty 1.3 tons. And it wasn’t just any old red carpet – it was a hand-tufted commission from the artist Jan Kath, whose work is [...]
Six Senses Zil Pasyon: The Seychelles island resort that’s reintroducing native wildlife to the surrounding environment July 7, 2017 Two of Felicite island’s landscape gardeners wave as they scoot past me in their electric tractor, and I am caught, yet again, intently photographing giant boulders. I’m becoming obsessed. I’ve been on this Indian Ocean island hideaway a few days already, but still I’m captivated by its ancient rocks. They have the all the drama [...]
Interiors: At Home with Plants by Ian Drummond and Kara O’Reilly will get you started caring for stress-busting indoor plants July 3, 2017 For me, indoor plants are key to bringing another energy and life to a space,” says Tara Bernerd, one of the world’s most in-demand interior designers. “The greens add bold colour and the textures add an emotion that anything man-made can’t achieve.” No wonder they are everywhere around town – The Ivy has even created [...]
Interiors: The Ivy Collection is spreading across London like a glamorous disease. We go on a restaurant crawl through the city June 16, 2017 A colleague recently took me to a new Asian restaurant in Shoreditch. As we were shown to a table my face fell. One of us would be looking out at the room and the other would get to look at a concrete wall. Kindly, my courteous companion took the duff seat, but neither of us [...]
Interiors: Inside the newly-opened London Flower School and why the capital is the home of floral artistry June 2, 2017 In King’s Cross, the newly-opened London Flower School is bustling with Chinese students indulging their passion for plants. Floral art is so big in Asia that up to 80 per cent of students at UK flower schools arrive from China, Korea and Japan. Why do they come so far? Because London is the world leader [...]
Interiors: Weather-proof furniture ideas to decorate terraces, patios and balconies for the British summertime May 22, 2017 This year, the outdoor room comes of age. Not just a Big Green Egg and some deckchairs, but a full-blown lounge, as if we lived in Palm Springs. Just as we now love to bring the outside in we are discovering that a raft of technical innovations mean we can bring the inside out. The [...]
Interiors: Fine Cell Work is a charity harnessing the sewing talents of prisoners to make exquisite embroidery April 7, 2017 Walk into any of the upscale Firmdale Hotels in London or New York and you are struck by the confidence, colour and energy of the décor. There’s pattern, texture and embroidery everywhere. And if something catches your eye, there will often be a story behind it, but maybe it isn’t one you expected. Whether it’s [...]
Interiors: White tiles are boring. Impress your house guests with a waterproof wallpapered loo instead March 31, 2017 Don’t underestimate the power of a well-dressed bathroom. During a dinner party, all your beloved guests will need to excuse themselves at some point. “Oh, wow!” you’ll hear them cry. “I love your loo!” Little room, big impact. For too long all-white sanitaryware and plain walls have been safe, a by-word for boring. “People now [...]
