Living Etc July 2020

This has hardly been the start to the summer we were all expecting, has it? Like many around the country, the Livingetc team has gone virtual, sitting at breakfast tables to put this issue together, making video calls while children and cats chatter away in the background, changing our email sign-offs to variations of ‘stay sane and safe’. And we really do appreciate how lucky we are that we get to carry on looking at incredible imagery and talking about design while front-line heroes do the heavy lifting for us all. What has struck me most during this time is the huge amount of optimism managing to stay alive in the most unlikely circumstances, like a flower peeping through a crack in the pavement. I sense it in the way we’ve…

1 FROLICSOME FASHION We currently only have the capacity for endorphin-focused dressing, and in this light may we please point you towards Toino Abel, maker of the most charming Portuguese reed bags (shown) just in at The Conran Shop. See, too, Loewe’s latest tie-dyed Paula’s Ibiza collection. Also perfection. 2 PAPER BLOOMS Real might be best, but tissue alternatives hold a special artistic appeal. Lust over pretty roses from Livia Cetti’s The Green Vase (shown) and Zoe Bradley’s knockout installations. Or why not get creative and make a DIY crayon bouquet with Parisian florist Racine (@racineparis)? 3 HOLIDAY PLANNING If creating a fantasy getaway list has kept you busy at home, have no shame. But what to include? We are mentally checking in with The Thinking Traveller – curator of Puglian masserias sleeping up to…

THE POWER COUPLE daring duo Cinematic cruise along the Amalfi coast not looking likely this summer? Not to worry, as print power house La DoubleJ and Acqua di Parma have teamed up to bring the best of Italy back home via beach towels, cushions, swimsuits and leather-handled tote bags. THE COOL CRAFTSPERSON throwing shapes It’s no secret that handcrafts are back in vogue, and so the New Makers programme from Toast – an initiative celebrating five emerging talents now in its second year – couldn’t be more welcome. We’ve fallen for the works of Chicago-based, Central Saint Martins-trained ceramist Polly Yates, maker of deliciously textured clay vessels. THE CORE PIECE outdoor pursuits The beauty of Flexform’s garden furniture lies in the fact that there is nothing really too ‘outdoorsy’ about it. Take Alison, a new sofa that comes…

What is Maison Bengal? We are a fair-trade company selling a range of bags, totes, baskets and mats. All our products are made by hand in Bangladesh, using indigenous raw materials such as jute or seagrass. Our raison d’être is to provide much-needed income to the thousands of marginalised young women who use their artisanal skills to expertly craft our products. Why did you launch the business? The idea of starting a fair-trade company began when I lived in Bangladesh in the early 2000s, working in family planning and reproductive health. Poverty was the underlying cause of so many of the issues affecting the women I worked with. In many cases poverty denied them basic human rights – access to education, nutrition, rights, decision-making, choices and life opportunities. At the same…

alex Head’s interest in food and entrepreneurship started early. At 15, she was selling sandwiches in an office block, and after studying hospitality and business, followed by stints at various restaurants, she founded Social Pantry in 2011. Known for its vibrant, seasonal dishes that have attracted A-list clientele, the business is also committed to offering employment to ex-offenders, who make up one in 10 of Social Pantry’s team. Alex lives in Earlsfield, south London, with her partner George, five-month-old daughter Roxy and dog Waffle. Sum up your business in a few words… Fresh, seasonal and delicious catering. What was your light-bulb moment? Until my mid 20s I had run restaurants in London and did catering in my spare time. I was working with a new site which didn’t take off and the…

buying and selling a home is definitely a landmark moment in life, the largest transaction we’ll ever make. And as we move into a new decade, this process is arguably more challenging than ever thanks to the fast-evolving property market. Technology is now a key factor, something no aspiring seller can afford to ignore with as many as 98% of property searches now starting online. The move to digital isn’t just about swapping your local high-street agent’s window for your laptop screen, though; it’s signalled a huge change in our expectations. Twenty years on from the launch of digital property portal Rightmove, the market for online house sales is ever more specialised with sites such as The Modern House and WowHaus both dedicated to modernist architecture, and no-frills options including…