STYLISTA HOM

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i n f o r m a t i v e l i n s p i r i n g l e n l i g h t e n i n g

Published by Haywood Media

INTERVIEWSDeborah MeadenInvest in Solar page 4

Robert BurnettKitchen Designer of the year page 6

A p r i l 2 0 1 2

CREATIVESpaces

cellar, annex & two attics

COMPETITIONSlots of goodiespage 36

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STYLISTA HOMES

Rachel Branson PUBLISHER / EDITORWith the sun shining, buds bursting and flowers blossoming, inspiration seems to be the key theme for our April issue. We have some inspiring ideas for those unusual spaces like the cellar, attic or annex, Victoria has searched for her most inspired wash basins, Robert Burnett, Head Designer at Holloways of Ludlow inspires us to be more creative with Kitchen spaces, Sally Storey at John Cullen Lighting, gives her top tips for inspired garden lighting and as always we have some inspiration goodies to give-away in this month’s competitions. Enjoy and be inspired.

Welcome to

This magazine is dedicated to all those home and aspiring home owners who love creating their own individual space. This magazine is for you. What do you like, what do you want to read about, what can we find for you? 2012 promises to be an exciting year and with so many interior and furniture trade shows at the start of the year we want you to set us a challenge... Tell us what you are looking for, is it an amazing purple corner sofa, perhaps you want that clever bed that comes out of the wall... whatever your desire please share it with us at editorial@stylistahomes.co.uk

Zoe Branson-ChantYOUNG STYLISTA FEATURES

Victoria Branson FEATURES EDITORI think we can safely say Spring is here with all the glorious sunny days, perfect DIY conditions if it stays like this over the forthcoming bank holidays. If updating the bathroom is on the list and you fancy something different I’ve found some gorgeous basins for you. Perhaps it’s wood flooring you’re thinking of installing, we’ve featured some we simply love. We were honoured to have the opportunity to interview Deborah Meaden and Ploughcroft Solar, her recent Dragon’s Den investment one of the UK’s leading solar PV panel installers, Rachel interviewed Deborah and you can read all about it in this fab issue of Stylista Homes. Enjoy, be inspired and Happy Easter!

Creative ideas

FRONT COVER IMAGE Holloways og London, winners of Kitchen Designer of the Year 2012

0208 487 9422 hollowayskitchens.com

Follow us on facebook at facebook.co.uk/stylistahome or twitter at stylistahomes

CONTENTS6 KITCHEN IDEAS 10 WOOD FLOORING 12 CREATIVE SPACES

22 PLANTATION 26 CORNISH INSPIRED 30 GARDEN LIGHTING

36 WASH BASINS 40 COMPETITIONSHEAD OFFICE

Haywood Media2 The Hall, Turners Green RoadWadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6TR

Tel: 0800 881 5375www.haywoodmedia.co.uk

editorial@stylistahomes.co.uk

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept liability to any party loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. We are unable to check claims made by advertisers are legal

and truthful and that all products and services are safe, Stylista Homes does not accept any liability in relation to

advertisements placed.© Stylista Homes 2012

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

www.stylistahomes.co.uk

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I must admit I was a bit nervous at the prospect of interviewing Deborah Meadon. Having been an avid

fan of Dragons Den I wondered how the interview would go and whether she would display the same characteristics as someone being grilled in the Den, but I needn’t have worried. As Deborah breezed on to the Ploughcroft stand at the recent National Homebuilding and Renovating Show at the NEC, it was obvious that the stern, focused, business woman also had a very friendly approach, happily chatting to the visitors on the stand and laughing with the Ploughcroft employees.

Chris Hopkins, founder of Ploughcroft, who recently won the interest of the Dragons with his low carbon technologies and renewable energy company, walked out of the Den with an investment from both Deborah Meadon and Theo Paphitis. Today Chris was providing a solar installation

demonstration and proudly announced that they are one of a few companies to supply the new 333 watt SunPower panels.

After the demonstration I caught up with both Deborah and Chris to find out more about the company and their plans for spreading the message about renewable energy.

With so many Solar companies in the marketplace I was keen to find out what it was about Chris’s company that caught the imagination of Deborah. “It was obvious to me that Chris was in it for the long term play, so many companies have set up to make a fast buck but I was looking for someone who had a passion for their business and for renewerable energy, until I met Chris I had even considered setting up my own company and bringing people together, but Ploughcroft meant we had all the people and company already set up”

“It is also rare to find an investment that is both the right

thing to do financially as well as for the environment and Ploughcroft offered both”.

Deborah installed her own Solar panels, just before meeting Chris so knew a little about the technology, she was also fortunate enough to have guarantee the 43p fixed feed-in-tariff which she secured for 25 years. Now that the government have dropped this to 21p, I was interested to find out if it was still a good deal for anyone considering solar.

Chris and Deborah both agree that the deal is still good, “When I paid for my Solar the installation cost about £17,000, but the same system would cost far less today so even though the fixed feed in tariff has been reduced to 21p it still offers the same rate of return as two years ago.”

Deborah explains that the government wouldn’t and shouldn’t support the fixed tariff long term, the idea behind it was to kick start the industry and once that’s done people will realise that it is the right

With recent confusion over the reduced fixed feed in tariff for Solar installation, Stylista Homes speaks to Deborah Meadon from Dragons Den and Chris Hopkins of Ploughcroft to find out more about the benefits of installing renewable energy and to find out if now is still a good time to consider Solar.

ENERGYsolar

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thing to do not just for the financial reasons but for the good of the environment. The only criticism she has is how the government handled the cut in the tariff. “It wasn’t communicated well and people suddenly lost confidence.”

Although the government are offering 21p, it is forecast to stay until June. The proposal is to reduce to 16p, however Chris is campaigning for it to remain 21p for another year, but both agree that some point in the near further the government will discontinue their support of the fixed tariff, so the next few months still offer a very good reason to install solar.

The general perception is that unless you are going to stay in your home long term then it isn’t worth considering, I wondered what Deborah’s opinion was on this. “No one really knows how it will effect the secondary market, but if two properties were for sale on the same street and one had renewerable energies then this house would certainly have the edge over the other property” I tend to agree with Deborah, we bought our house three years ago and the fact that it had solar thermal was a real selling point for me. We turn off our heating in March and all our hot water is provided by the solar panels until September, I only wished that we had a larger roof space to accomodate Solar PV as well.

During the demonstration I asked Chris if their was a minimum number of panels to make it worthwhile installing. “I think a minimum of three of the 180 watt panels or perhaps two of the new Sunpower panels is the smallest installation I would recommend, on

their website they have calculations from 15 to 30 square meters.

We are lucky that our roof is South facing, but what if the roof faces another direction? “South facing, with a 30-35 degree pitch, with no shadow from other building and trees is obviously the best, however East and West is still 86% efficient and north still offers a 60% efficiency”, says Chris. Deborah also points out that you don’t need heat for Solar PV, even on a freezing cold day you can generate electricity, just as long as it is reasonably bright.

Since investing in Ploughcroft, Deborah has installed further panels on her outbuildings and even has them fitted on the building housing her pigs, “ I regularly go down and check to see how much electricity I have generated, it is actually quite addictive checking to see how much money I have earned, it’s the easiest money I have ever made.”

Our building developer, had the foresight to install Solar Thermal but I wondered if Deborah thought that it should be mandatory for all new buildings to install solar. “Solar may not be the answer, but I think that all renewerable energies should be considered whether it is ground source, wind turbines, air source heat pumps or the new Micro-CHP systems (Combined Heat and Power), a new technology that Chris is very excited about.”

Since winning the investment from Deborah and Theo, Ploughcroft have expanded their business to include other forms of renewerable energy as well as expand to create 8 training sites, meaning that they can now offer installations all around the UK.

With the Dragons contacts and Chris’s passion and knowledge he has developed NVQ courses, offers training, is a construction ambassador and is working with schools to educate children about the benefits of careers in this fast growing industry. “When I became a roofer, roofers were classed as the ‘dummies’ of the building trade, but this is changing, we are having to be more knowledgeable and are gaining the respect of the industry”.

So with so many Solar companies appearing in this market, why should anyone consider Ploughcroft? Having met Chris and his team, I understand Deborah and Theo’s reason for investing in this company. They clearly have a passion not only the business and the environment but also for doing a job well. His team are first and foremost very good roofers but with a thorough understanding of this new and growing technology. They take pride in their installations and I know that if I had a slightly bigger roof I would certainly call Chris and his team, but with their other areas of expertise I shall be watching them carefully to see if they have other ideas for replacing my oil tank!

Established in 1997 by father and son, Bill and Chris Hopkins, Ploughcroft has long been at the heart of roofing and building maintenance. In 2006 Ploughcroft branched out into low carbon technologies and renewable energy and since then we have won many prestigious awards including the SME business of the year and the National Corgi award for Best Green Business. ploughcroft.co.uk

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What is the most important thing to consider when designing a kitchen? The client. There is no right or wrong way to design a kitchen – what is right for one person is wrong for another. A Kitchen just needs to be practical for the person/people using it, and it needs to look great in their eyes.

What are the latest trends / colours / materials in kitchen design? The use of sleeker worktops, using thin sheets of Corian, Steel or Stone for a lighter, more chic looking kitchen is becoming very popular. Kitchen cabinets are often being designed as contemporary or classic furniture, with a more imaginative use of veneers and lacquers. For example, traditional furniture made of veneers such as burr maple can make a cabinet look very contemporary when covered by a high gloss polyester lacquer. Alternatively, reclaimed oak and other natural solid wood finishes are a popular choice for kitchen doors as are metal finishes such as brass, steel, bronze, pewter, as it’s now possible to spray these finishes onto furniture panels. This wider choice of materials and finishes, enable designers to create a kitchen homogeneous with the interior design of the room as a whole, which is especially dramatic in larger open plan spaces.

As the way we cook and prepare food changes do you see any future trends in kitchen design that you are excited about?The trend for kitchens to be combined with the living area is changing the way we cook and prepare food. There is a wider range of powerful yet discreet extractor hoods, better storage solutions to reduce clutter on worktops, a huge selection of induction hobs (as they are easy to keep clean - yet more responsive than gas), and most kitchens are now sold with boiling water taps to remove the need for a kettle on the worktop.

What clever gadgets have you seen recently that you would like to incorporate into a kitchen?I like any gadget that helps to keep things stored conveniently, but discreetly – such as integrated soap dispensers for washing up liquid and/or hand soap, and paper towel and cling film dispensers, and scales that are integrated into drawers.

What do you consider to be the best material to use as a worktop?Practically, they all have their upsides and downsides, but I love the clean, seamless look of Corian and Steel in a modern kitchen, and the authentic look of stone or pewter in a traditional kitchen.

EXPERTask the

Robert Burnett, Head of Design at Holloways of Ludlow won the Kitchen Designer of the Year award at last months Homes & Gardens Designer Awards. Robert shares his ideas and observations to inspire your own kitchen design.

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If you have a very small space to work with what would the main consideration be when designing the kitchen?Ensuring that every square centimeter is made useful while retaining enough clear worktop space for food preparation, cooking and washing up.

Which project have you enjoyed the most?I don’t have a specific favourite project, but I really enjoy working with people who have their own quirky ideas and visions that we can develop together.

What was the most unusual/challenging request to accommodate into a kitchen design?We have been asked to build fish tanks into our kitchens on a couple of occasions, and are regularly asked to include a fireplace within the design.

Last month you won an award for ‘Kitchen Designer’ category at this year’s Homes & Gardens Designer Awards, how important is that to you and your business?It’s hugely motivating to know that the work we are doing has been recognised by such a prestigious magazine, and the whole team will now be aiming to win again next year! The kitchen sector lacks any significant regulatory body to

establish or monitor standards. Therefore, people have to put their trust behind well reputed magazines to guide them in the right direction, and we hope that the award will encourage a few more customers to speak with us about their kitchens.

Robert Burnett, Head of Design - Holloways of Ludlow Kitchens 0208 487 9422 www.hollowayskitchens.com

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WOODCovering a huge expanse

of your home, and featuring as a definitive style statement, a wooden

floor is a major investment that can last for a century and beyond. Solid or engineered, oak or exotic, there are plenty of choices to navigate to find the perfect floor for both you, and the needs of your home.In this article, Jeandré du Toit, from wooden floor specialists Ecora in London, gives her expert guide on a fail-safe checklist for choosing the right wood for your home.

Structure – solid or engineered?“The quickest way to establish what my clients need is determining the structure of wood that suits their property” Jeandré says. “As a rule of thumb, if you have neighbours living below you, or if you have underfloor heating, the best option is an engineered board. For every other sub-floor you can usually opt for either.”Engineered boards are more stable due to their multi-layered structure, but a solid plank has it’s own charm and can be used in many types of interior.

Colour of FlooringOn to an aesthetic consideration, but one that Jeandré believes will

Choosing the Perfect Wooden Floor

lovemake a huge difference to the overall feel of your space once the wooden floor is installed. “Think about the space, and imagine how it will interact with a dark or light, plain or featured floor,” Jeandré says. “How much light comes in? Does your colour selection compliment your kitchen units and your furniture?” While light floors can make a space appear larger, dark woods have a sophisticated quality desirable for many homes. The other consideration is a plain or featured floor – for example the wild variation of a product like Raintree wood needs to be paired with calm and simple interiors to ensure a room isn’t overwhelmed with pattern, and to allow the natural beauty of the wood to shine through.

Grade of flooring Often flooring companies will supply three grades of flooring:Rustic - containing lots of knots, sapwood and variationLight Character – with smaller knots, less sapwood and less variation Prime - with small knots, limited sapwood and minimal variationThe grade of wood you select does not impact on the quality of the product, but often the prime grade

is most expensive as there are only limited pieces of prime grade planks per tree. Consider the finish you would like in your home - prime grade wood creates a contemporary, minimalistic look, while rustic planks offer more warmth and interesting variation, making them a favourite for family homes.

(above) Clean and stylish American Black Walnut paired with white walls for a contemporary look

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Selecting the correct size“I recommend widths between 180mm-220mm for my clients,” suggests Jeandré. “This is normally a good width as it creates a modern look without going ultra sleek with super wide boards.” However if you like the look of wider boards, they often sit beautifully in open spaces with high ceilings.

Do you like it, and will you keep on liking it?Wood is a great investment for any property as it instantly adds value. But don’t forget once the sensible decisions have been made, you

must want the wood to be a part of your home, and be passionate about how it will transform your rooms. “There is just something about walking on hardwood floor that is just so luxurious,” Jeandré says. Don’t forget many wood companies will provide samples so you can test the feel and finish of wood in your home, and others such as Ecora will match samples and source a specified wood.Good luck in creating a beautiful living space with natural wood!

For more on Ecora visit www.ecora.co.uk

(below) Pale blonde Character Oak creates a calm, stylish finish

(above) European Rustic Oak is warm

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SPACEScreative

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a Drummonds’ ‘Dalby’ shower in nickel finish tucks neatly into a corner, carrying through the New York feel with a simple frameless glass door and white glazed brick tiles. The compact washroom has a reclaimed basin from Drummonds, together with their wall mounted taps and a heated towel rail in nickel finish. To unite all these different areas, Drummonds’ reclaimed oak flooring has been laid throughout.The owners are delighted with the finished room, saying, “The white colour scheme and the light flooding in from the window make it so airy. It has a wonderful feel and such a classic look that we know we’ll be enjoying this space for years to come.”

Drummonds’ classic bathroom products are inspired by period pieces and traditional manufacturing techniques - but installing them in a contemporary loft conversion shows that they can hold centre stage in any setting.The owners of this London house decided to convert their attic into a large open-plan master bedroom suite. Inspired by the idea of a Manhattan loft, they set about creating a large, calm space with a bright airy feel. The conversion includes a panoramic window, in front of which they have sited their Drummonds ‘Usk’ bateau bath, with its stunning hand-finished polished metal exterior.The space is arranged brilliantly;

the attic (main picture) Drummonds ‘Usk’ bateau bath, with a hand-finished polished metal exterior, from £3,390 All baths from Drummonds are handmade. (below) Dalby Thermostatic Shower from £2,274 drummonds-uk.com

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After contemplating what to do with an unused space in the attic, a family of three came to the decision to transform the neglected and derelict space into a state of the art home cinema to fully indulge their passion for watching major sporting events in the company of friends and family.

The family’s vision was to create a space that was not only state of the art and up to date with modern technologies but also with an element of simplicity and ease of use...in fact a defining factor was that the client wanted the technology to be so simple to use, that even their 3 year old could control it. They wanted him to be able to use the system without adult supervision, making it a space the whole family could enjoy.

One of the client’s main criteria was that they wanted the room to double as a place to watch films and sporting events as well as a place to socialise. They requested that the cinema area should have 2

rows of cinema seating as well as wanting the cinema to be 3D ready to enhance the client’s enjoyment of his favourite sporting events such as football and golf.

The family also specifically asked for a bar style seating areas to allow for more informal gatherings of friends, making the room a place for the family to spend more time as a family or with friends.

As well as a space to enjoy with friends, the family also wanted to create a child-friendly space for their young son and his friends to play safely. Despite the high-tech nature of the brief, the family wanted to ensure that the technology would be simple enough for their son.

The family turned to award-winning home technology specialists, Finite Solutions, to create a bespoke home cinema system to bring their vision to life, and enable them to control every aspect of their newly converted

attic space with the simple use of a touch screen remote control.

Finite was tasked with designing the high spec home entertainment room, using bespoke technology to create a unique family space. Close attention was also to be paid to the accompanying interior of the room which was to provide an area of comfort and fun not only for the sport loving father but also for his wife and 3 year old son. The Finite team were given a blank canvas, upon which they had been briefed to create a bold and creative design.

Following an initial survey it became clear that whilst incorporating a cinema into the room would be difficult, it would be an enjoyable challenge for Finite’s design and engineering team. The space was challenging and given the complexities of installing a cinema within this space it was essential to produce

From Empty Attic to Luxury Home Cinema

the attic

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a detailed 3-dimensional survey of the room to ensure that all the required components could be incorporated and the performance of the system would not be compromised. After the family had followed a “walk through” of the 3D design, and given their approval of design, features and equipment to be used, the work could then begin.

In order to bring the family’s vision to life, Finite Solutions started by working from the back

wall forwards, firstly allowing space for the bar seating, a key element to the relaxed and sport-inspired theme of the instalment, then the bar itself, and finally 2 rows of reclining cinema seats.

Finite then turned their attention to the front of the room and the all important main viewing screen. Although keen to execute the high spec home entertainment room to the family’s every wish, screen size was one factor which could not be adjusted as the size was set by the existing physical dimensions of the room and therefore the largest screen possible was fitted into the space.

Finite Solutions ensured that every little detail was considered. Quirky but fun features such as including a stereo system built into the WC, so even if someone feels the call of nature, they can still listen to the movie, really make the space unique. The additional little touches such as the bar, popcorn machine and lighting effects all add to the audio visual experience.

Where compromises had to be made, much thought went into them, and how the room would be used and by who, was carefully considered. Finite always kept in mind that the client’s young son would typically sit on the front row, so decisions were made in order to maintain a comfortable experience for a 3 year old. Finite also made sure that the family’s

young son would be able to use the cinema room, so they simplified the sophisticated technology and created a bespoke remote that he could function by himself.

Safety was also an important consideration for Finite to keep in mind, and so the lighting systems were designed so that they could not be turned off completely from within the room, only by the main entrance at the bottom of the stairs. They also ensured the stairs and the step onto the tiered stage are always illuminated to some degree, providing much needed safety precautions for the young members of the family and their visiting friends.

The family’s wasted loft space has now been converted into an ultra modern high spec integrated smart room, which can be enjoyed by all members of the family. The room has been designed with the client’s every desire in mind and has been designed and built to an extremely high quality standard.

The impressive list of equipment built into and around the home cinema includes, a Denon 1611 blu-ray player, 3D access, 21:9 anamorphic projection system, 3 way in-wall Bowers and Wilkins CWM7.3 speakers, 2 10” 500W Bowers and Wilkins subwoofers and for the piece de resistance a Crestron TPS-6X wireless touch panel to control the entire room with a touch of a button, providing the family with the ease of use and simplicity they specified. Finite Solutions provided a full design and build service and by providing the interior design, lighting design, and employing the various subcontractors, the client benefited greatly by having just one point of contact. finitesolutions.co.uk

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the annexKingsbrook Park in Canterbury features Park Crescent a collection of classical four storey, five bedroom Georgian homes which have been carefully blended with the finest materials and latest technologies to produce state-of-the-art contemporary living spaces, which sit comfortably in the surrounding vernacular with stunning views over looking the River Stour.

Each home has been carefully designed to maximise space, light and efficiency, without sacrificing the inherent sense of style and harmony of a luxury townhouse. With Berkeley’s exceptionally high standards you can rest assured that your elegant retreat will remain perfect for years to come.

With high ceilings and large windows command stunning vistas

across the river to the city’s historic cathedral and the beautiful horizon. Offering a unique taste of luxury living, Park Crescent is an oasis of peace in a vibrant, cosmopolitan city.

Each property comes complete with seperate annex ideal as a family cinema room, home office, art studio, sleepover space for the kids – the possibilities are endlessberkeleygroup.co.uk

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AMERICAN WINE ROOM

(left) So called for its origin of design, where the modern home

wine cellar really took off, the American maximises storage

capacity with a complex design of bins and shelves, designed

to fit the specific types of wine collected by bottle and box size.

This design works well in any environment and is very popular

in basement conversions.Not an inch of space is wasted,

which enhances the smartness of appearance.

The shelf barely impedes the storage area, but provides the perfect ledge to open

boxes, stand bottles prior to decanting and store wine books.

londonwinerooms.co.uk

the cellar

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LONDON WINE ROOM With an emphasis on style, the London

combines a practical arrangement of box, bin and individual wine storage. When

situated adjacent to a dining room or sitting room it provides the ultimate Wow factor

centrepiece.The chunky shelving and backlighting create

an eye catching showpiece, seen through a single double-glazed glass wall, all fitted by the London Wine Rooms. This Wine Room can be constructed from a range of materials

and finishes and scaled up or down to suit any size space.

londonwinerooms.co.uk

WINE CORNER (right) They can provide wine cellar construction services as well as consultancy, project management and design. Almost any free available space in your home can be used. winecorner.co.uk

WINE IN50+ This is the very best of wine cellar conditioning units. It is without doubt the quietest conditioning unit on the market today and also offers a 30% reduction in energy consumption compared to standard air conditioners. This air conditioning unit offers cooling for cellars up to 50m3 in size and helps to transform a well insulated room into a true wine cellar £3693.48 winecorner.co.uk

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We simply couldn’t feature Wine cellar storage without including the

man-made Spiral cellars Spiral Cellars, the specialist creator of unique underground wine storage introduces its latest product development, the retractable round glass trap door. Developed to offer clients the latest in technology, the door utilises an efficient mechanical system and adds a distinctive element to the design of the room.Spiral Cellars offers a range of cellar options and depths for greater storage capacity. The Original Spiral Cellar, which is the original design still going strong 30 years later, provides a functional and rustic option for wine lovers looking for good capacity and a reasonable investment.

The White Spiral Cellar is the showcase design that provides the largest amount of capacity – up to 1,870 bottles – with deeper bins and a greater feeling of space. It is finished in white limestone effect concrete with options such as LED lighting and leather treads. The entry level option is the Mini Cellar, which can be dug down to 1.6m providing storage for up to 770 bottles, and is accessed via a simple ladder.The Spiral Cellar was first developed by Frenchman Georges Harnois in 1977and was launched exclusively in the UK in 1981. Spiral Cellars Ltd has grown into a successful national and international business, with more than 3,000 cellars installed in the UK alone, and representatives in Ireland and Australia.The installation process takes between 5-9 days and from the initial site survey to final visit from the After Sales Manager the process should take no more than 16 weeks.Prices start from £9,040 plus VAT for a 1.35m deep Mini Cellar. The retractable round glass door is £17,500 plus VAT.spiralcellars.co.uk

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INSPIRATIONplantation

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INSPIRATION

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LA PLANTATION d’ALBION:

The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius was the first Club Med destination to include a real estate offer. There are already 26 finished luxury Villas at Albion and Phase 3 has now launched. Estimated to be completed in time for summer 2013, the five new three and four bedroom Villas are priced from 1, 461, 000 € and 1, 737, 000 € (before Tax).

Situated on 12 hectares of land alongside the Club Med Resort La Plantation d’Albion located on the west coast of the island, the single storey Villas are incredibly stylish and featuring quality materials chosen by Mauritian architect Jean-Michel d’Unienville. Each villa features its own infinity pool which integrates seamlessly with the surrounding tropical landscape.

Thanks to a unique lease management programme, Club Med property owners can enjoy their home for several weeks per year and benefit from all the facilities and services of the neighbouring Club Med Resort. When not in use by the owners, the properties are entered into a rental pool professionally managed by Club Med. Club Med’s “Freedom Privilege” also permits owners to exchange their holiday weeks to discover the most beautiful Club Med Resorts around the world. The selection of resorts included in this exclusive programme is renewed on a yearly basis.

For more information about the Villas and Chalet-Apartments - please call Savills on +44 (0) 207 016 3740 or Erna Low Property on +44 (0) 207 590 1624, or visit www.villas-chalets.clubmed.com

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cornishINSPIRATION

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Unique Home Stays offers the ultimate in ‘Luxury Private House Accommodation’ offering privileged access to some of the most extraordinary private homes around the world. Choose from a luxury weekend break in Cornwall for two or perhaps one of our enthralling exclusive country houses offering luxury breaks

in the Cotswold’s. Be it a luxury cottage break in the UK or a luxury villa holiday, their exclusive portfolio includes the finest selection of luxury vacation retreats worldwide.

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Stylish large luxury coastal self catering accommodation in St Mawes, CornwallMoonrakers is a spacious abode exuding a stylish contemporary flavour. Floor to ceiling glass doors command mesmerising views of the Cornish coastline and ensure that natural light floods every space. Mirrored cabinets, eye-catching chandeliers and the crisp white backdrop of each room all serve to further enhance the emphasis on radiance and brilliance. 01637 881942 moonrakers.uniquehomestays.com

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gardenLIGHTING

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KENSINGTON DESIGNED BY KATE GOULD

A contemporary garden with clean lines and minimal planting to reflect the completely renovated property. The design was lead by client and architect and features a bespoke glass and mirror polished stainless steel fireplace, complimented by water features clad with Portland stone offering strong focal points from the house.

Lawn would have been impractical here, so artificial turf was used instead which makes maintenance of the gardens much simpler .

Pleached Hornbeam help to lengthen the garden while the under-story plants are to be changed annually as the clients taste dictates.

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Kate Gould is an award winning garden designer for London, the home Counties and further afield, dedicated to turning ordinary gardens into beautiful outdoor

spaces. A regular exhibitor at the Chelsea Flower show (where she has twice been awarded Gold Medals) Kate shares her top tips for garden lighting design.

Adding lighting to your garden is a great way to create ambience and extend the use of the garden beyond the natural daylight hours. Although I am not a lighting designer I do try and light my gardens where possible! Here a few lighting tips I’ve put together:

Try to highlight architectural plants – A simple uplighter on a spike that can be moved around as the plant grows will do nicely.

Don’t floodlight the garden, not everything needs to be lit! This is more of an issue in towns as light pollution affects nocturnal animals and can irritate neighbours!

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Light your terrace softly allowing room to add candles when dining. Highlight a feature wall or plant as a focal point. (A fireplace can work as a focal point where a flame also adds light)

Kate and her team work on all scales of garden, from small inner city spaces to large-scale private or commercial gardens. kategouldgardens.com

Try lighting tree’s (as long as it won’t cause problems with the neighbours) This produces dramatic effects all year round when the bark is highlighted. Silver birch looks wonderful when lit in the winter.

Although coloured lights are fun for parties, stick to a warm white light at other times. Plants look their best when softly lit.

Last but not least –Avoid installing the lighting yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing – Always employ a professional! (If you don’t have a access to an electrician and want an easy fix there is always solar lighting to consider, as long as you can charge the panels these will also produce a nice lighting effect)

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ssPhotos: Ed Reeve

Remember that a little light goes a long way at night. Use lighting selectively and remember that darkness can be used to conceal any less attractive areas.

The key to successful garden lighting is flexibility. Spiked fittings, which can be easily moved to suit the changing seasons and planting growth, are ideal. A new mini 1w LED spiked spotlight (the Kew) and a mini directional 1w spiked floodlight (the Hampton) allow you to light your garden with as little as 60w of light in total ‚so you really don’t need to feel guilty about energy consumption. For larger gardens the 8w Kensington and Richmond are an ideal solution.

Lighting can turn steps into a feature and make them safer. The 1w LED

Top Lighting Tips from Sally Storey, Design Director of John Cullen Lighting

Siena or Lucca External, recessed into the side wall, are ideal. For a contemporary solution, use night lights in small glass holders which provide a pretty way to emphasize a staircase or low level wall.Consider using the 1w Siena or Lucca to uplight a wall or the side of a pot. Good lighting combines fixed lighting elements with flexible spiked lights that can be rearranged to light seasonal plants.

Most garden light fittings are black but olive green blends into the garden better. Copper fittings can also be good as they patinate to a neutral green colour with age.

When mounted high up in a tree as a downlight to provide pools of light at the base, bronze fittings blend in well with the colour of most tree trunks. For a pretty effect

in your trees, grouped Starlighters suspended at random in 3’s or 5’s create a twinkling effect.

Moving water is a wonderful medium to light as the refraction creates patterns which reflect on the surrounding area. Use a simple underwater spotlight (Pond Light) under a water flow or, alternatively, consider using fibre optics within water jets to create a magical candlelight effect or add fibres set into the base of a water feature at random, appearing as stars.

When lighting outside living spaces, make sure the wall lights complement rather than detract from the lighting in the rest of the garden. Wall mounted pillar up/downlights can be dramatic while Alexander LED wall lanterns will create a soft solution.

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ssSOLAR LIGHTS

Isiro Solar Powered Outdoor LED Ground Light £23 alllitup.co.uk

OUTDOOR CHANDELIER

Fatboy bring the ‘Late Baroque’ style of the 18th Century

firmly into the 21st with the Fatboy RockCoco LED outdoor

chandelier. The first outdoor water-proof chandelier ever

made! £439 alllitup.co.uk

THE RICHMOND & KENSINGTON(left) The LED Richmond is a directional spiked floodlight which also produces the equivalent of 50w using only 8w. It creates a wider wash of light and is particularly suitable for large scale planting features and its olive green finish makes it blend in well with its surroundings. The LED Kensington is ideal for highlighting focal points in a garden such as a statue or feature tree. 8w LED Richmond Flood Light £221 and 8w LED Kensington Spotlight £223johncullenlighting.co.uk

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BACINO(above) The Bacino wash bowl range from Duravit has always offered plenty of scope for inspired washing area design, with its amazing variety of sizes from the original round design with a 42cm diameter, the 55 x 42cm rectangular version and the 42 x 42cm square version, all with the characteristic round-cornered design from £253 duravit.co.uk

CIOTTOLO Brings glamour and grandeur to the bathroom with Ciottolo - washbowl sculptures by Sieger Design. Inspired by pebbles (ciotto, Italian for pebble). Three designs from £412. Round pebble design also available in “platinum” £504 duravit.co.uk.

COIMBRA (left) The unique design features beautiful exterior detailing that is crafted to perfection - Generous 16.5” diameter bowl provides ample washing space Available in two finishes, Traditional Bronze or White Satin Bronze kallista.com

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LAOS CAST STONE FREESTANDING BASIN (left) The stunning design is a contemporary twist to the traditional pedestal basin with its smooth cylindrical shape creating the look of a modern sculpture rather than a simple bathroom item. H 83cm x W45cm x L45cm £499.95 betterbathrooms.com

WASH BASINSONTO(right) The new “Onto” bathroom series by Matteo Thun reinterprets the washing area. The ceramic is no longer placed on the console in the traditional way but, instead, the washbasin, either rectangular or round, becomes the support for the console. Matteo Thun believes that cost engineering defines the aesthetics of the 21st century. 80cm to 240cm, plywood in four wood tones - matt white, matt basalt, dark chestnut, European oak. Onto Console from £258 (up to 800mm) Onto Washbasin from £199 (450mm) duravit.co.uk

wonderful

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COCKTAILSsummer

The glamorous world of Cocktail making is easily attainable with the new Cocktail tools from Vacu Vin. Included are cleverly designed colourful recipe sticks, a shaker,

ice cube tray and muddler tool set.

Use the Shaker to create your drink, the clear container lets you keep an eye on the proceedings, and the liquid tight Popsome lid will make sure nothing escapes.

Select a recipe stick, which can also be used in a glass or jug, to measure the correct proportions for your favourite tipple – it’s so easy.

Finally, the cleverly designed muddler tool, is used to combine and disperse the flavours from ingredients such as herbs and fruit, and also includes a shot jigger and a set of tongs for adding ice, lemon or mint leaves.

Vacu Vin make it easy to enjoy the vibrant world of cocktail making in your home.

· Shaker £14.95· Recipe sticks £7.95· Muddler £12.95· Party Friend Purple Ice Cube Tray £5.49

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MojitoA refreshing rum cocktail - perfect when you’re having a summer party.

IngredientsServes: 1

1/2 tsp icing sugarJuice of 1/2 lime4 fresh mint leavesCrushed ice2 fl oz Bacardi rumSoda water

Preparation methodPrep: 2 mins1. In a tall glass, stir icing sugar and lime juice together.2. Slightly crush the mint leaves and add to glass.3. Fill glass with crushed ice, add rum and stir.4. Add soda water to fill glass (or to taste), and garnish with more fresh mint.

Pink Margarita1 1/2 oz. tequila1/4 oz. Campari

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice1/2 oz. honey

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a tumbler. Serve on the rocks and garnish with a lemon slice

and mint leaf.

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WIN A LOLA CHARLES ORIGINAL DESIGN(left) Lola Charles makes lovingly handcrafted original framed designs inspired by rural living, interior design, retro vintage and vintage patterns,colours,illustrations, styling and values. ‘A beautifully feminine and delicate design of a heart built up from hundreds of tiny butterflies in a gorgeous royal purple. This version is made from individually punched card butterflies which are then carefully built up into a heart shape, with their wings gently folded so that they look like they are landing on the picture. 35cm x 35cm (14″ x 14″) £45www.lolacharles.com

CompetitionsTO ENTER ALL THESE COMPETITIONS VISIT stylistahomes.co.uk

WIN A PEVONIA’S SPA AMBIENCE CANDLES Made of soybean and vegetable ingredients these unique candles are environmentally safe, 100% biodegradable and contain the finest natural essential oils for a completely clean, deeply therapeutic and long-lasting aromatic burn. Used in professional spas around the UK and worldwide.Win one of Two Pevonia Spa Ambience Vanilla Candles £15 each pevonia.co.uk

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WIN A LUXURY AQUARIUMReef One the designers of the biOrb family of luxury aquariums in sleek, bright acrylic would be interested in providing one of its latest aquarium FLOW (see picture attached and below). The FLOW has a compact footprint, making it an ideal addition to a living room, bedroom, shelving unit or other small space. It’s a modern centerpiece, an ambient light, and a calming element for any room. All Reef One aquariums are designed to be easy to maintain and include an innovative built in filter which keeps the water clear and healthy and everything (except the fish of course!) you need to get started is included in the box FLOW is £89.94 for a 15lt.biorb.co.uk

WIN A SPICE NIGHT 3 WICK CANDLEWe have joined up with www.wildplanetproducts.com to give you the chance to win one of their beautifully scented Spice Night 3 wick candles.Wild Planet scented candles and diffusers are made with natural ingredients, richly infused with only pure high quality essential oils to indulge your senses and promote a sense of well-being. So, no synthetic smells just beautiful natural aromas in your home. Perfect for any room; whether setting the scene for a relaxing bath, creating an ambience for entertaining or making your whole home smell divine wildplanetproducts.com

WIN A TOASTTONE™ APRONJust as Marmite fans declare their love for their favourite spread by sporting a range of merchandise from cookbooks to key rings, Vogel’s have made it possible for toast lovers to do the same. The launch of their brand new ToastTone™ range will delight toast fans everywhere, it includes t-shirts, hoodies, aprons, tote bags and mugs – perfect for your early morning tea and toast routine ToastTone™ vogelsbread.spreadshirt.co.uk

s ty l i sh l i nsp i r ing l un ique stylistaboutique.co.uk