Living Etc September 2019

There is something energising about September. It feels like a fresh start. In my view, it is a far better time for resolutions than cold, soggy January, when nights are dark and you have all those tempting leftover Christmas goodies teasing you from the cupboards. Right now I am focusing on ‘living life well’. And I am not alone. The wellness movement is absolutely massive. At the time of writing, London has just hosted Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop summit. The sell was ‘join us for a mind, body, soul reset’. Turmeric lattes, sound baths and £1,000 tickets may not be for you (or me!), but I do think that anything that makes you feel a bit calmer in this crazy world is well worth a look. We’re hoping to offer a bit…

1 TELEVISIONS AS FURNITURE Prepare for the box to become less boxy. Panasonic Design and Vitra have launched the Vitrine (pictured), a wood frame and glass panel that converts to an OLED screen. And LG now sells the world’s first 8K model. The future is here. 2 MOTEL CHIC Route 66 Americana is the go-to vibe at the hottest hotels, with Soho House’s Mollie’s Motel & Diner bringing Fifties cool to the, erm, A420 between Swindon and Oxford. In the USA, Santa Fe’s El Rey Court (pictured) is an ode to the great Southwest on the highway’s original footing. 3 BLOCK PRINT Cole & Son’s new Pearwood collection takes its name from the wood blocks that were the tool of choice for founder John Perry. Expect a visual romp through the English countryside in a…

THE QUICK CLICK best of british Swerve an afternoon in a soggy deckchair and instead enjoy the best of summer’s scents indoors. Matthew Williamson’s English Garden candle mixes notes of blackcurrant, rose, bergamot and orange blossom with a dash of Ceylon tea for a quintessentially British-smelling affair. Beautiful. £49 (amara.com) THE INNOVATION sweet dreams The Clam from Ligne Roset is a sofabed as you’ve never seen one before. Gone are the pesky cumbersome poles, the hideaway mattress and the bulky body. They’ve been replaced with a sleek silhouette that folds up and down (like a – you guessed it – clam) into a double daybed. And all with just one click of a button. Clam sofabed, designed by Léo Dubreil and Baptiste Pilato, from £3,692 (ligne-roset.com) THE POWER COUPLE copy that Want a little slice of Kelly Wearstler…

Charlotte Salisbury was at university when her boyfriend (now husband) was unexpectedly handed the reins of a run-down hotel in Brighton. With little budget, he encouraged local artists to decorate rooms for board, and Artist Residence was born. Without a shred of hospitality experience between them, their chaotic efforts ended up on the TV series The Hotel Inspector. But 10 years on, the couple own four acclaimed boutique hotels, which cleverly mix vintage design and contemporary art. Charlotte lives in west London with Justin and their son Blake, three, plus dog Bob and cat Oscar. Sum up your business in five words… Arty, friendly, eclectic and homely. What was your light-bulb moment? When we did The Hotel Inspector. Alex [Polizzi, the host and hotelier] was so good at giving us advice that…

due to popular demand, Livingetc House Tours is back for its second event this year and you won’t want to miss out. Once again, you’ll get to step inside six homes, bringing the pages of the magazine to life. This time our focus is on Highbury & Islington, north London, where our editorial team have chosen a selection of beautiful houses full of inspiration and design ideas. Taking place over two days, on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 September 2019, the autumn edition of House Tours will give you exclusive access to six incredible living spaces as well as the House Tours Hub. You’ll also have the chance to secure a place for a mood-boarding workshop hosted by Livingetc hero stylist Marianne Cotterill. Places are available for £5 and it’s your…

being a risk-taker by nature and hankering after solitude, Australian designer, stylist and all-round creative Sarah Andrews bought a heritage shack on Tasmania’s west coast sight unseen. ‘I spotted an ad for the run-down cottage and was drawn to its isolated charm and views across Lettes Bay, remote mountains and rainforest,’ she says. The house was built in the late 1890s for mining workers and although beguiling, once she owned it Sarah discovered it was falling to bits and had no running water or electricity. An eight-hour drive to the nearest hardware store, the restoration was a dedicated labour of love. ‘I had intended it to be a slow, rural bolthole project, but my personal circumstances changed and it quickly became a full-time renovation that needed to earn an income,’ she…