Hartfield House: This architectural wonder is the ultimate blend of country bliss and avant-garde design June 25, 2015 When a city-dweller dreams of leaving the rat race for the country, certain stock images appear. Most likely there will be fields of golden rapeseed, sheep bleating on hillsides and church spires reaching into an overcast sky. But deep into an ancient forest in East Sussex, you’ll find a light-filled construction of glass and sandstone [...]
Scandi luxe: Norway’s buoyant market rewards those with the patience to track down a plot of land and build their dream home June 25, 2015 So hot is Oslo’s property market, the city’s lucky estate agents are behaving like auctioneers, requesting immediate bids after open house viewings. With houses so hard to come by, one alternative is to find a plot of land and build your own – a solution chosen by the owners of the recently completed Villa Melkeveien. [...]
The Kensington townhouse that reaches new heights in grandeur and design June 25, 2015 As guests step over the flagstones to enter this penthouse in Kensington, their eyes will be drawn inexorably upwards by the vast space above them. The reception room at Academy Gardens is the tallest in London at 37ft – a grand entrance indeed. Before arriving, visitors will have passed through a gated entrance on Duchess [...]
Dell Park in Englefield Green is a polo fanatic’s dream on part of the Candy brothers’ former estate in Surrey June 25, 2015 The British polo season has got off to a galloping start, but for some fans of the equestrian sport, viewing it from the sidelines just isn’t good enough. That was certainly the case for the private European owner of Dell Park in Englefield Green, Surrey, who set out 10 years ago to build a contemporary [...]
Drinking at home: An in-house bar is the latest must-have for London’s super-rich June 25, 2015 There are a few base-level requirements if you’re planning on a selling a London property for upwards of £10m. Gyms are essential, as are home cinemas. If there’s a roof, it must be terraced. If there’s a basement, there must be a wine cellar. A recent addition to the ever-lengthening list of must-haves [...]
My house: Arianne Levene Piper, art consultant June 25, 2015 I work as an art consultant so it’s natural for me to incorporate painting and sculpture into my home. I have some lovely pieces hanging in my living room. One bright abstract painting, which I picked up at the Frieze Art Fair, is by a major contemporary Japanese artist called Shinro Ohtake. I first saw [...]
Restaurant review: Craft London is a real diamond in the rough June 23, 2015 Greenwich Peninsular is getting the regeneration treatment. Right now it’s a sad, grey expanse consisting of a few warehouses and a giant circus tent where you can watch the Foo Fighters. But in five years… It’s going to blow your mind. The brochure says it’s going to be full of flats and a theatre and [...]
Mix it up: Nothing beats a hotel for glamour and good conversation June 23, 2015 London’s best hotel bars can be intimidating places. A wasted youth of chatting about real ale (before it was fashionable) at town hall festivals didn’t prepare me for the pomp of a decent hotel bar. Years ago, I just about got through the door of the American Bar at The Savoy dressed in my best [...]
Burgundy or Bordeaux – which wine-making region do you prefer? June 23, 2015 The old adage goes: “Sow your oats in Bordeaux, retire in Burgundy”. Bordeaux is the most famous wine region in the world, with a straightforward designation system and well-branded chateaux. The four major grape varieties in Bordeaux are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, which are blended to create the eponymous Bordeaux blend. [...]
Working lunch in Canary Wharf: Toddy Shop June 23, 2015 WHAT? Toddy Shop is the informal, reasonably-priced half of Chai Ki Canary Wharf (a smarter restaurant is opening there soon). Inspired by the drinking shacks found on the coast of southern India – where punters sip alcoholic beverages made from palm tree sap called toddies – the restaurant/bar serves up cocktails, craft beer and street [...]