Architects of the future: How young designers are taking on space constraints, the cost of living and technology April 30, 2015 As property prices continue to rise and land available for development dwindles, architects and designers are tasked with devising ways to recommission and re-purpose spaces to make them suitable for modern life. Five architects and designers under 40 explain how they are taking inspiration from these challenges, and how they see their industry changing in [...]
What makes Scandinavia furniture style so popular? April 30, 2015 Perhaps it’s because of the cold. In Scandinavia there’s more of an incentive to make the inside of your house look super-stylish because unless you want to get frost bite or, in some parts of northern Norway, eaten by a polar bear, the inside of your house is where you’ll spend the majority of your [...]
Entrepreneur David Johnson is building an empire in the British Virgin Islands to rival Richard Branson’s Necker April 30, 2015 When Sir Richard Branson arrived in the British Virgin Islands, he was sufficiently smitten that he bought his own island, Necker. It’s easy to see why. This Caribbean tropical paradise enjoys a sunny season stretching to 10 months of the year, while gentle waves from a clear blue sea lap the BVI’s many sandy beaches. [...]
Living the Whincop Cheam: An interior-designed mansion with all the furniture thrown in April 30, 2015 In the town you grew up in, was there a road that everyone aspired to live on? It may have had the biggest houses or backed on to a luscious stretch of parkland, or it may simply have been where your MP lived, along with that guy who owned the local department store. In the [...]
Elvaston Mews in Kensington and Chelsea: The 19th century stable that’s as space-age as they come April 30, 2015 London’s mews houses are selling like proverbial hot cakes right now. But take away the “cool” factor and they’re pretty difficult buildings to work with. Built in the 19th century as stables for the wealthy owners of mansions in Kensington and Chelsea, they’re short, square, dark and rarely come with outside space. The mews [...]
Reading rooms: Immerse yourself in the world of the modern library April 30, 2015 In this digital age, one could be forgiven for thinking libraries were a thing of the past. Think again: at the top end of the market, they’re making a comeback of sorts as a modern luxury with the added bonus of showing visitors how culturally refined you are. “Since things like e-readers have come along, [...]
My house: Alexandra Jefford, jewellery designer April 30, 2015 I fell in love with our house a year before we moved in. I forced my poor husband to leave his beloved Chelsea, mainly because I wanted my daughter to be able to walk to school, and this place in Parson’s Green was the first we visited. I walked in the door, thought “this is [...]
London Coffee Festival returns to Truman Brewery: Founder Ludovic Rossignol explains what it’s all about April 28, 2015 WHAT IS YOUR MISSION WITH THE LONDON COFFEE FESTIVAL? It’s all about elevating standards in the coffee industry and educating people about speciality coffee, as well as celebrating the vibrant London coffee scene and the shops that form its backbone. WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT? The festival is now in its fifth year and has [...]
Mix it up: How to make the best Bloody Mary in the world April 28, 2015 The best Bloody Mary you’ll ever taste should be the one you make yourself. After all, every bar, pub and airplane makes it differently, and probably not to your liking. In fact, far too many places make them spectacularly badly. You may even be under the impression you don’t like Bloody Marys. I certainly [...]
Why buying en primeur is the smart choice for wine investors April 28, 2015 “En primeur” is Bordeaux’s unique trade structure of purchasing wines as futures, offering the opportunity to invest in a particular wine prior to the physical release of a vintage. After two years of ageing, the wines are bottled and buyers can either keep the wines “in bond” or take delivery. Last month, the City A.M. [...]