Homes& Property. Living with design. London s best property search website: homesandproperty.co.uk. Page 22. How to handle Mr Grey

Transcription

1 How to handle Mr Grey in more than 50 shades Page 12 Homes& Property Wednesday 28 January 2015 NEW HOMES: DOES SMALL WORK? P4 COMMON PEOPLE P6 WEIRD AND WONDERFUL P17 SPOTLIGHT ON BECKENHAM P36 Living with design Page 22 LUCAS ALLEN London s best property search website: homesandproperty.co.uk

2 2 WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2015 EVENING STANDARD Homes & Property Online This week: homesandproperty.co.uk Property search Trophy buy of the week into the woods in Cornwall 15 million: at The Heron, EC2, enjoy 6,000sq ft with tripleaspect views, four bedrooms, four black-marble bathrooms and a retractable roof (homesandproperty.co.uk/heron) hot homes: 10 of London s most luxurious penthouses THERE are penthouses and then there are sky-high homes that take city living to a whole new level. We take a tour of the capital s most exclusive homes in the clouds, where we discover designer interiors, double-height ceilings, touch screen-controlled lighting and state-of-theart wireless entertainment systems... all outshone by spectacular panoramic views over London. Find 10 of the best at homesandproperty.co.uk/penthouses Visit our new online luxury section HomesAndProperty.co.uk/luxury 1.25 million: this minimalist new build in St Mawgan, Cornwall is designed to the highest spec in a woodland location, with vast sliding glass walls in open-plan reception and dining areas, and a sleek kitchen/breakfast space lit by a glass roof. The first-floor master suite opens to a decked terrace. The main house has two more bedrooms, with a fourth in a lower ground-floor annexe. Manicured lawns and two pools complete the picture. Newquay airport is near for flights to London. Through Country & Waterside. homesandproperty.co.uk/trophymaw Life changer farmhouse in 24 acres, plus rental cottage 695,000: 24 green acres are yours with this 17th-century farmhouse in Bilsdale, deep in the North York Moors. It comes with a one-bedroom holiday cottage for your paying guests, plus stables, paddocks, an agricultural barn and a two-storey stone barn ripe for conversion. The main house offers beams and cosy open fires in charming reception rooms, and three bedrooms. Through Carter Jonas. homesandproperty.co.uk/lifechangerbil London buy of the week a stylish flat in the heart of all the Hackney action 387,500: you ll need to move fast if you fancy a flat in the smart new Hackney Square development, minutes from lively Mare Street with its great selection of coffee shops, traditional East End pubs and new gastropubs. This one-bedroom home on the third floor has under-heated floors, sliding wardrobes, bespoke By Faye Greenslade cabinetry and a sleekly tiled bathroom, while the kitchen fully fitted with Smeg appliances and stone worktops is open-plan to a spacious living/dining area with a private balcony. Through Telford Homes. homesandproperty.co.uk/buymare Facebook: ESHomesAndProperty adorably soft... Editor: Janice Morley Is building to rent the way to beat the housing crisis? 2 hop over to our new Bath showroom The Peggy chair from 460. For reader offers visit pop in to our London or Bath showroom or call us on VISIT homesandproperty.co. uk/rules for details of our usual promotion rules. When you respond to promotions, offers or competitions, the London Evening Standard and its sister companies may contact you with relevant offers and services that may be of interest. Please give your mobile number and/or address if you would like to receive such offers by text or . Editorial: Advertisement manager: Jamie McCabe Advertising: Homes & Property, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, Kensington, London W8 5TT. LONDON is one of the richest cities in the world and its shortage of housing is a disgrace. That was the view at London s first private rental sector forum, held in Bishopsgate in the City yesterday. Experts agreed that building homes specifically for rent is likely to be the only way to meet housing demand as London s population continues to grow. John Dickie, of London First a not-for-profit group which promotes the capital as a business destination said that at a record 8.7 million residents, London is now growing by 100,000 people a year and by 2025 will have added a population the size of Birmingham. Read Philippa Stockley s full forum report at homesandproperty.co.uk Built to rent: The Collective launches 322 furnished flats at a scheme in Old Oak, Willesden, in September with typical all-in rents of 220 a week

3 EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY News Homes & Property Got some gossip? amiranews Live like a sporting hero THE former Surrey home of retired athlete-turned-tv sports commentator Roger Black MBE is on the market for 1.2 million with Hamptons International. The fivebedroom Edwardian retreat is part of a country house in Farnham, above, designed by notable Arts & Crafts architect Harold Falkner. It was home to the British Olympic silver medal-winning runner, 48, inset, his wife Julia and their twin sons until The master bedroom has a walk-in-wardrobe, along with a private balcony giving elevated views across woodland. Visit homesandproperty.co.uk/black for full details By Amira Hashish 4m? That twerks... THE family home of pop star Miley Cyrus, right, is on the market for a shade under 4 million in Los Angeles. Cyrus, 22, famed for her provocative twerk dancing, grew up in the six-bedroom house, above, with her country music star father Billy Ray Cyrus and her mother, Tish, moving out when she was 18. In 2013, she moved back in during her engagement to The Hunger Games actor Liam Hemsworth, which ended that year. The 8,700sq ft house in affluent Toluca Lake neighbourhood boasts an outdoor skating ramp, a cinema and a pool, and is on the market with Dilbeck Real Estates. A quick sale could be on the cards: We anticipate an extremely successful 2015 in LA real estate, says Billy Rose, president and founder of the Savills international associate. REX Enjoy Hugh s view HUGH GRANT S former South Kensington bachelor apartment, above, is for sale again, after being taken off the market late last year. The penthouse, where the actor, below, lived while starring in hit films About a Boy and Love Actually, first went up for sale in November, but was removed shortly afterwards. Now being marketed with Knight Frank for 1,595,000, the property occupies the entire top floor of Petersham House and has three en suite bedrooms, a master dressing room, direct entry lift, hot tub and gym. Panoramic views of the London Eye, the Shard and Battersea Power Station are breathtaking, and the interiors are immaculate. This is the ultimate home for those enjoying the high life. homesandproperty.co.uk/hugh Next act for Dame Ellen s theatre THE former Stratford Rex nightclub, far left, in east London is in the market for a new tenant. Dating from the Victorian era, the five-floor, 40,000sq ft property opened in 1896 as the Borough Theatre & Opera House, and huge stage stars of the day who appeared there included Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Henry Irving and Dame Ellen Terry, left. The venue was later run as a cinema for 40 years. More recently, acts such as Kiss FM s DJ Neev have hosted club nights at the venue in Stratford High Street, E15, operating under the club name of Sync. Specialist agent Fleurets is now seeking a tenant to take a new lease. There is an auditorium with tiered seating and a stage, bars, lounges and a large dance floor so the space works well as a performance venue, theatre or nightlife destination. This property is so rich in history and we are confident that its proximity to the Olympic Village and the University of East London, Stratford Campus will be a great benefit, says agent Rosie Hallam. Call or visit fleurets. com for more information. REX

4 4 WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2015 EVENING STANDARD Homes & Property New homes THINKING SMALLER THE CRISIS EVERYONE agrees London is in the grip of a housing crisis, but it may prove that recognising that fact is the first step towards solving the problem. Building many more homes is clearly part of the answer but so is building more types of homes, lots with lower prices, that Londoners who are bringing in average salaries can afford to buy. Obvious solutions include rental and shared ownership, while community building where a group gets together to build a development that they will all live in is also gaining ground in the UK. But there are other ingenious solutions out there, adding to the bigger picture. One of these is Pocket Living, backed by Mayor Boris Johnson. Pocket Living designs and sells onebedroom flats for the intermediate market singles or couples earning about 30,000 to 66,000, which is too much to qualify for social housing, but too little to buy outright on the open market. These would-be buyers find it increasingly difficult to get on the housing ladder. The average Pocket Living buyer s income is 40,000. Compact: flats for young Londoners created by Camden s thecollective.co.uk Small, beautifully formed and affordable POCKET LIVING S STORY Pocket Living was founded 10 years ago by former investment banker Mark Vlessing and his partner Paul Harbard, former finance director at social housing provider the Peabody Trust. Since Londoners or couples earning 35,000 to 40,000 still could not afford to buy on the open market, Vlessing s idea was to build a flat they could afford a smaller but welldesigned home in a block. These flats are smaller than the existing minimum space standard for a one-bedroom new build, which is 50 square metres, or 550sq ft. This is Pocket Living in a nutshell. Stylish, carefully designed one-bedroom apartments of 38sq m (418sq ft), SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: MICRO-LIVING Is building smaller homes the key to housing London s first-time buyers or a matter of concern? Nineteen of the capital s high-profile architects competed to find the right size for city living, says Philippa Stockley in blocks with outside space that s often a roof terrace. There is no parking and the company does not offer social housing. The flats have big windows, under-floor heating, and suit singles or a tidy couple. To be eligible, you have to live or work in the borough, and Pocket Living homes are not sold to investors checks are made. Buyers must also earn less than the maximum household limit set by the Mayor, currently 66,000. The Mayor has supported Pocket Living through his 2012 Housing Covenant Fund, awarding it a 21.7 million equity loan for 10 years. With the help of this loan, Pocket Living aims to house 5,000 Londoners over the decade, and 350 more by the end of next year. Pocket Living homes are sold at 20 per cent below the local equivalent price, which means prices in different areas can vary. Only just over 200 have been built so far, but developments coming up for sale soon include 13 flats in Oak Grove, Cricklewood, NW2, by architects HTA, due to become available later this year, and 25 flats in Wynne Road, Brixton, SW9, by HKR Architects, coming to the market next year. Prices will not exceed 231,000. Other developments are being built in Ealing and Lewisham. Visit pocketliving.com to find out more and to register. THINKING BIGGER THE COMPETITION Pocket Living s ambitious plans to build a lot more flats include a two-bedroom version, nicknamed the 2B2P twobedroom, two-person, or two people and a child. Though the size is not yet set, these flats will be bigger. Pocket Living recently held a competition with 19 high-profile architects to design these bigger flats, and the range of layouts and ideas has been wide and ingenious, with some homes having little balconies. The architects designed between about 50sq m and 61 sqm. That top figure of 61sq m, or 671sq ft, is the current minimum space standard for a two-bedroom new-build flat. A space race: HAT Project s two-bedroom Pocket Living flat was one of five contest-winning designs 231,000 limit: Pocket Living flats at Oak Grove, Cricklewood, 20 per cent below local equivalent prices

5 EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY New homes Homes & Property DOWNSIZING: WHAT S OUT THERE ON THE MARKET NOW? GIVEN that Pocket Living flats are limited in number, Homes & Property checked to see what is on the open market of about the same size, both one- and two-bedroom homes. They cost more, but come with more variety and perks some with gardens or really gorgeous balconies. One is even in a historic building in a wonderful location on Strand, and all are available now. For more details, visit homesandproperty.co.uk/ststeph St Stephen s Gardens, W2: this 467sq ft flat with wooden floors is in a stucco building, with lots of storage and a good bathroom. It s 615,000 through John D Wood. One-bedroom wonder: a Pocket Living home in Weedington Road, Camden SINCE the UK already has some of the smallest space standards in Europe for flats, there are those sounding a note of caution about building even smaller. They welcome well-designed homes that young Londoners can afford but they also have serious concerns about building this small. JULIA PARK Head of housing research at architects Levitt Bernstein Because of the scale of the housing crisis, there probably is now a case for micro-flats, says Park. But she warns: Smaller homes lead to higher densities; higher densities lead to higher land prices, and higher land prices lead to crazy purchase prices. Each time a micro-flat is sold, it sets up a chain reaction that nudges up the price of WHAT THE CRITICS HAVE TO SAY everything else. Park argues that when couples choose to live in small flats, that s fine. But she is concerned when economics force young families to live in small flats with little space for play or storage. She adds: Pocket Living s recent design competition is a worrying preview of where things seem to be heading. In one family home, you had to choose between a bath and a wardrobe. Park concludes: The current space standards exist to ensure decent storage and to require that rooms have space for furniture, and get natural light and a view. Interestingly, by the time the most serious shortcomings in these plans have been corrected, they will be close to the 61sq m minimum anyway. MEREDITH BOWLES Mole architects The Government should have taken a lead on the housing crisis years ago, says Bowles. You can t expect developers to fix it. The cost of land is the root of the problem. The only way you can get flats cheaper is to make them smaller. Pocket Living saw a gap in the market, using good architects, and it should be celebrated. But in my view, if you permit people to build below current space standards, you don t know who will squeeze into them after they are sold. Also, not everyone lives a monastic life. There s no room for the boiler, the pram, the ironing board or books. If we are not careful we could slide into a position where we open the door to substandard building. Bassett Road, NW10: this high-spec, sleek, 382sq ft apartment in a Victorian building comes with a share of the freehold and communal garden 470,000 through John D Wood. homesandproperty.co.uk/bassett Burns Road, Battersea, SW11: this charming two-bedroom flat, about the size of a Pocket Living two-bedroom home, has a private garden. It s 575,000 through John D Wood. homesandproperty.co.uk/burns Marconi House, Strand, WC2: on the seventh floor of this historic building, a 400sq ft flat with concierge, lift and private parking is for sale at 920,000. Through H udson Property. homesandproperty.co.uk/marc Lillie Road, SW6: this pretty, 377sq ft one-bedroom apartment with wooden floors comes with a south-facing communal garden, and is on the market priced 395,000 through Strutt & Parker ( ).

6 6 WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2015 EVENING STANDARD Homes & Property London life The cost of joining the common people There is a premium to pay to live close to London s green open spaces but Ruth Bloomfield knows where the bargains are HOMES in the grid of streets between Clapham and Wandsworth Commons are so sought after that between the commons has become a microsuburb in its own right, with a boutique-laden high street Northcote Road and local residents who include celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and his cookery writer wife Tana, actor Jack Davenport and comedian Jack Dee. A new study has established the cost of living within an easy hop of the wide open spaces of some of London s best known commons, as well as some more discreet gems. The exclusive report by Savills compares house sale prices close to eight key London commons with prices in their surrounding areas. TOP-DOLLAR COMMONS The most expensive common in the survey is Clapham. Buyers wanting to live within 100 yards of its perimeter must pay an extra 20 per cent or well over 100,000 for the privilege million: its closeness to Barnes Common probably adds nearly 14 per cent to the price of this splendid six-bedroom house in Mill Hill, SW13. Through Marsh & Parsons. Visit homesandproperty.co.uk/barnmill Homes close to Ealing Common also command a premium, as do homes close to lesser-known Well Street Common in Hackney. BARNES IS A FAMILY AFFAIR Living beside Barnes Common tends to be a family affair because most of the properties are sprawling Victorian semis and terraces with five or six bedrooms, measuring around 3,000sq ft and priced from about 2.5 million. Trains from Barnes to Waterloo take about 20 minutes, making it an ideal commuter location, with an annual season ticket costing 1,472. Barnes Primary School is rated outstanding by Ofsted. Throw in some lovely shops, restaurants, cafés and bars and it is easy to see why this area commands such a hefty premium. GOOD-VALUE STREATHAM For those on a tighter budget, the average property around Streatham Common costs just over 340,000. This is almost a third cheaper than the average for Lambeth, where areas from the South Bank to Clapham and Brixton have inflated prices borough-wide. Trains from Streatham Common to Victoria take less than 20 minutes and an annual season ticket costs 1,472. But Streatham s competitive prices may not last forever, because buyers are starting to learn of its quality housing stock and good transport links. I wouldn t have dreamt of recommending buyers look in Streatham until about two months ago, when it suddenly came into its own as a bit of a hotspot, says Samantha Anderson, of Heaton and Partners buying agency. But I have agreed a sale of a two-bedroom flat for under 400,000 in Streatham, and at the same time agreed a small one-bedroom flat in Battersea at 430,000. Now is the time to buy in Streatham before it gets too popular with the yummy-mummy crowd. PLUMSTEAD FOR REAL BARGAINS London s biggest common-side bargains are to be found around Plumstead Common, in south-east London, where average prices are just 235,164, Price premium: popular Clapham Common, above BARRY PHILLIPS PREMIUM OR DISCOUNT? Clapham Common Average price: 666,451 Average borough price: 548,800 Premium: 21.4 per cent Ealing Common Average price: 518,235 Average borough price: 448,286 Premium: 15.6 per cent Barnes Common Average price: 766,302 Average borough price: 673,795 Premium: 13.7 per cent Well Street Common Hackney Average price: 500, ,000: a smart one-bedroom flat with terrace near Plumstead Common homesandproperty.co.uk/plum more than 30 per cent less than the borough average of 337,197. The common is ringed with streets of Victorian terraces and Mark Sallnow, manager of David Evans & Co, estimates that a four-bedroom house would cost between 350,000 and 380,000, while a two-bedroom flat would typically cost 200,000 to 225,000. The reason this area is relatively inexpensive is that it lacks transport links on the doorstep. Commuters hop on a bus for the 10-minute journey to Woolwich Arsenal, where they pick up the Docklands Light Railway or mainline services to Cannon Street and Charing Cross. Average borough price: 452,066 Premium: 10 per cent Tooting Bec Common Average price: 582,636 Average borough price: 616,902 Discount: 5.4 per cent Peckham Rye Average price: 345,508 Average borough price: 457,521 Discount: 24.5 per cent Streatham Common Average price: 340,194 Borough average: 481,697 Discount: 29.4 per cent Plumstead Common Average price: 235,164 Borough average: 337,197 Discount: 30.3 per cent the DUPLEXES Living indoors and out, in the heart of East London Prices from 699,950 Final release 12 th February CALL TO REGISTER: OR VISIT: mettleandpoise.com A development by: Joint selling agents: Featured: Computer generated image of an interior at Mettle&Poise

7 EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY WORLD FAMOUS for its football club, Tottenham also has a reputation among London home buyers for being a bit riot prone. This rough image deters many property hunters but the area is undoubtedly good first-time buyer territory, being cheap by the capital s standards and with good transport links to the centre. Now, crucially, regeneration is beginning to make a difference to this part of north London. Where else in the capital can you buy a flat for less than 170,000 or a decent three-bedroom Victorian house under 350,000 and still be in the West End or City in 20 minutes? Tottenham also benefits from fast connections to King s Cross and Stratford, which are becoming important commercial and business zones in their own right. The area evolved with the advent of the railways and was an important manufacturing base. Streets of modest terraces were built up to the Twenties. The Blitz prepared the way for sprawling council estates including notorious Broadwater Farm Estate where improvements are under way and new forms of tenure are being introduced. London Mayor Boris Johnson has designated Tottenham a priority zone to kick-start change. About 1 billion is being invested over 10 years, with up to 10,000 new homes planned and at least 5,000 new jobs. Handsome municipal buildings such as the former town hall have been given a facelift, with new flats and commercial space created. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club s new stadium project will bring flats, shops, a technical college and primary school. Lawrence Square, close to Seven Sisters Tube, replaces an industrial estate and has 260 flats and townhouses from 249,950. Call Bellway on Finsbury Park, which at 115 acres is bigger than St James s Park and Green Park combined, has undergone a 5 million Lotteryfunded restoration. Finsbury Park Place is a recently completed scheme of 42 flats on tree-lined Queen s Drive, which runs into the park. Estate agent Currell says the homes have attracted buyers and renters priced out of Stoke Newington and Hackney who want to live where they can feel the beat of the city. Call Shared-ownership flats priced from 72,250 (full price, 289,000) are on Flats for less than 250k 20mins from the West End Tottenham is shedding its rough image with new homes for young Londoners, says David Spittles Mayor Boris Johnson has designated Tottenham a priority zone 1 billion is being invested, with 5,000 jobs and 10,000 new homes planned New community: homes at Hale Village are being snapped up by young professionals, with a fresh phase being released this year offer at Woodberry Down, a former council estate straddling Seven Sisters Road that is being transformed into a smart new neighbourhood. Call Genesis on Heading north along the high road a new community called Hale Village is being built at Tottenham Hale next to the train station, which is on the Victoria line and is also a major interchange between Liverpool Street and Stansted. To date there are 870 new green homes, a 1,200-room student campus, a supermarket, a Diocese of London community centre and a Royal Free Hospital specialist kidney care unit. Still to come are a residential skyscraper, private rental homes, shops and offices. The 12-acre site borders protected parkland and the Lea Navigation, a canal route running into Docklands. Landowner Lee Valley Estates is working with developer Bellway and Newlon housing association to deliver homes which are proving popular with key workers and young career professionals among them junior doctors and nurses with 44 per cent of residents aged The next phase of apartments is scheduled for release later this year. From the top of the apartment blocks at Hale Village, it is easy to see why the area will function as a decent place to live. The east-west vista takes in Stratford s Olympic Park, Canary Wharf, the Gherkin, the BT Tower and Ally Pally, and emphasises the proximity to the centre. Along the Lea Navigation, derelict factories, mills and warehouses are being redeveloped and integrated with green spaces to form a regional country park. Visit halevillagelondon.co.uk or call First-time buyers AVAILABLE SPRING Homes & Property Finsbury Park Place: new flats are attracting buyers and renters priced out of Hackney and Stoke Newington

8 8 WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2015 EVENING STANDARD Homes & Property Homes abroad Life doesn t come any higher NEW YORK S skyline is changing rapidly. In the world s fastest-moving city, developers are vying to build ever-taller, everslimmer towers, with most activity centred on Manhattan s Midtown between 53rd and 60th Streets. The higher the better seems to be the mantra, says property veteran Howard Lorber, chairman of Douglas Elliman. There are no bad neighbourhoods in New York City any more. Midtown used to be an office district but now has become popular as a residential area. You are close to Fifth Avenue, Museum Mile, Carnegie Hall and Central Park. EMERGING MIDTOWN Lorber has flown in from his weekend home in the Hamptons to lead a tour around 135 West 52nd Street, a relative minnow at only 48 storeys. The former hotel is being turned into 109 one- to four-bedroom apartments priced from 989,000. Communal facilities include restaurants, gyms, a pool and even a golf simulator, but the six levels of whole-floor apartments are the real news. Loft-style living was previously the preserve of former warehouse districts such as Tribeca and SoHo but the trend is moving uptown. The most notable addition to the Midtown skyline is 432 Park Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets. This 1,396ft tower became the highest residential building in the Western Hemisphere when builders topped out last year. Slim and with striking 10ft-square windows, 432 Park Avenue outdoes the Empire State Building s 1,250 feet and the Chrysler Building, at 1,046 feet. Designed by architect Rafael Vinoly with 103 flats over 96 floors, the effusive marketing brochure claims it echoes masterpieces like the Pantheon in Rome. Well over half the building is sold, mainly to Americans, and the first occupants will move in come autumn. The prices are as eye-watering as the views. A full-floor apartment starts at 46 million. and the smallest flat for There are no bad neighbourhoods in New York City now that Midtown offers family-size flats in super-tall towers, says Cathy Hawker From 989,000: 135 West 52nd Street offers loft-style living in Midtown, with on-site pool and golf simulator sale, at 3,600sq ft, is 10 million. The 62.6 million penthouse sold early, as did the 3.2 million entry-level flats. Staff apartments start from 989,000 and 384sq ft. This block will not be the tallest for long, however. At 1,423 feet, 225 West 57th Street should steal its crown in 2018, one of four planned superslender neighbouring towers. FAMILY-FRIENDLY LATERALS Manhattan, never previously a family favourite, used to be considered best for young professionals starting out in their careers, who would live there before moving to the burbs to settle down and raise a family. According to Bluerock Real Estate chief executive Ramin Kamfar, however, that is no longer true. He lives in the prime Upper East Side with his young family and believes city living is the way forward. Uptown Manhattan has schools, hospitals and of course Central Park, he says. Families would love to stay here but there weren t the larger apartments for them. In addition older people are coming back into the city from the suburbs once their children have left home. The Charles, Bluerock s project in First Avenue between 72nd and 73rd Streets, started in 2008 and was mothballed during the recession. Now building has begun again with over 75 per cent of homes sold. The final available units start from 4.3 million for four bedrooms across an entire floor. This is one of Manhattan s wealthiest neighbourhoods but east of Third Street was relatively undiscovered, Kamfar adds. A new subway opens along Second Avenue this year and US real estate has always followed transport links. 135 West 52nd Street: through Knight Frank (knightfrank.com) 432 Park Avenue: 432parkavenue.com The Charles: charlesnyc.com Tall order: slender new tower 432 Park Avenue s smallest flats start at 10 million A PLACE TO STAY TWO British imports are making waves in the competitive NYC hotel scene. Soho House New York private members club and hotel, left, opened in the Meatpacking District 11 years ago and was an instant hit with the media crowd. It features a rooftop pool with a Hamptons in the City vibe and an industrial-chic Club Floor. The hugely successful High Line, a 7.5-acre urban park on the site of a disused railway line, has brought new money to this gritty western side of Manhattan with more than 20 new high-end developments in the planning. Further east among the intimate boutiques and galleries of SoHo, Crosby Street Hotel has brought British style to the classic red-brick warehouse district. Soho House: sohohouseny.com Crosby Street Hotel: firmdale hotels.com Looking for the right place... Don t miss out - last few remaining A stylish selection of 11 contemporary one & two bedroom apartments with parking. Wykeham Place is located on Coles Green Road, just minutes from Brent Cross with quick connections into central London.** Prices from 255,000 * Show Home open Thursday - Monday, 10am - 5pm Call: Visit: networkliving.co.uk *Prices correct at time of going to press. **6 minutes drive to Brent Cross according to Google Maps. Internal images of Wykeham Place Show Apartment.

9 EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY DESIGN SPY By Katie Law Design GET FOXY London designer Andy Hau s debut soft furnishings collection includes this cushion cover, left, The Fox and the Lost Soldier, printed on unbleached canvas. Three other fox-related designs are available, 30 each (ahadesignshop. tictail.com) Homes & Property SAY HAY The DLM Table, seen here in yellow, is made from powdercoated steel by HAY, the fabulous Danish brand that arrives on the fourth floor at Liberty in Regent Street next month. Suitable for indoors and out, it costs 140 and also comes in black, grey, lavender, mint, powder, racing green or white (liberty.co.uk) MASTER CRAFTS Four craftspeople will turn The New Craftsmen in Mayfair into a workshop from February 3. See the work of Laura Carlin, Stuart Carey, Catarine Riccabon and Lola Lely, who makes these solid timber Potluck stools, above, 875 (the newcraftsmen. com) LIGHT UP Latest lighting from US interiors chain West Elm includes droplet glass pendants, smart chevronpattern lamps, and a range of coloured Perch table lamps, above left, 59 (westelm.co.uk) For an invitation to our exclusive launch, please register your interest at: Or contact the selling agents for more details Hamptons: DTZ:

10 12 WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2015 EVENING STANDARD Homes & Property Design How to handle Mr Grey (in more than 50 shades) By Katie Law DON T wait until the movie version of Fifty Shades of Grey premieres on Valentine s Day (that s February 14 if you need a prod) to learn how to handle grey in the bedroom. The novel s leading man, Christian Grey, has a penchant for S&M, but it s M&S and an orgy of other retailers who have fallen for grey. Once dismissed as cold and uninviting, the colour has been reborn in an uplifting, sophisticated, rich and versatile palette of many more than 50 shades that can find a place in any room in your home. You could put it on your walls and floors, choose it for sofas and chairs, or combine with other colours to highlight or soften the look, according to whether you want to create a warm, romantic ambience or cool, restrained Scandi style. Here s how to do it... PAINTS Little Greene s Grey collection includes 28 environmentally friendly shades, which come in a range of finishes and hues from almost white through to charcoal and blue-black (littlegreene.com; from for a litre of matt emulsion). For impact, introduce a strong contrasting accent such as citrine yellow or red on, say, a stair riser. It s cheap and easy to change if you don t like it. Painting floors is a more challenging option. Grey flooring won t show dirt as obviously as white or black. To avoid a chilly concrete effect, go for something like Farrow&Ball s Charleston Grey floor paint, which will infuse even the whitest interior with warmth (farrow-ball.com). Dulux s Light & Space paint contains particles that reflect up to twice as much light back into a room check out its Moon Shimmer matt (dulux. co.uk; for 2.5 litres). Above: lace-print Conran bedlinen sets from M&S are for the double size Left: the Wilmot two-seater sofa, in grey with multicoloured buttons, is 995 (habitat.co.uk) WALLS Right: the Kilo multicoloured metal nest of three side tables, 70, will complement your grey sofa from Habitat (as before) Tiling company Bert & May is encouraging us to do it in the shower with its new range of geometric grey-glazed ceramic tiles, in three finishes. Ideal for wetrooms and kitchens, they re eye-catching, easy to keep clean and cost from 324 per square metre (bertandmay. com). Eley Kishimoto s debut wallpaper collection comes in a range of gloriously grey colourways, from 160 a roll (darkroom.com). FURNITURE If you use grey on your walls use a contrasting shade on your furnishings. Habitat s sophisticated, wool-upholstered Wilmot two-seater sofa has multicoloured buttons and costs 995. Its Hendricks grey wool two-seater sofa is 1,400, the jazzy Naoko grey-and-yellow armchair is 550, while the Kilo multicoloured metal nest of three side tables, 70, will work well with any one of them (habitat.co.uk).

11 EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY Design Homes & Property Above: glazed Churriana tiles, 324 a square metre from Bert & May (bertandmay. com). Below, the Naoko grey-andyellow armchair, 550 at Habitat (as before) Above: Little Greene s Grey collection includes 28 environmentally friendly shades. From for a litre at little greene.com Above: designer Eley Kishimoto s debut wallpaper collection has a host of grey shades. This one, Light & Lace, is 160 a roll from darkroom.com Right: limegreen Trumpet paint from Little Greene (as before) makes a dazzling contrast amid the subtle greys of its latest range Right: the sleek kmix Zinc Blender ( ) is part of a new grey range from Kenwood (kenwoodworld.com) TEXTILES For the softest of looks, Mark Alexander has smart, paisley-pattern artisan-dyed sheers and loosely woven weaves in a gorgeous range of greys, from 70 to 130 a metre (markalexander.com). Claire Roberts, new in-house designer at M&S, has given the firm s textiles and ceramics a makeover. Grey lace Conran duvet bed sets are for the double, with cosy herringbone throws at 85 (mands.com). ACCESSORIES Marble is also having a moment, and grey-and-white marble chopping boards from Bodie & Fou ( 20/ 35) can also become seductive serving platters when friends come round (bodieandfou.com). Hay s Scandirestrained Kaleido octagonal grey trays, 27 at Future and Found, will come in handy, too (futureand found.com). Conran s cosy grey Gotland sheepskin throw, 395, is made with shearling (mands.com). UP TO 50% OFF Winter Sale Enjoy an extra 20% off for 4 days only, starts Friday * Chingford Chiswick East Sheen Fulham Hammersmith Hampstead Kingston Tottenham Court Road Beds, Furniture, Mattresses, Bed Linen, Bedding & Accessories 33 Stores Nationwide *see in store for details

12 16 WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2015 EVENING STANDARD Homes & Property Auction Italian romance for sale SOME GIRLS HAVE ALL THE LUCK A party-loving princess and a grand Genoese family bring some of their gems to auction. Get the palazzo look, says Philippa Stockley OH TO be a princess or for that matter, a prince living a 20th-century fairytale life in a palazzo in Rome, surrounded by beautiful things, throwing marvellous parties, mixing with glamorous film stars... Richard Burton, Grace Kelly. That has been the story for Princess Ismene Chigi Della Rovere, who met her second husband and love of her life, the prince, on a park bench. Some people have all the luck. Now aged 87, the princess is streamlining, so we can buy a bit of her fabulous lifestyle. Born lucky, as Countess Ismene Larussa in Milan in 1927, she was married to a journalist and living in Rome when she met Prince Mario Chigi Della Rovere on that park bench. They married in The Chigi family descends from banker Agostini the Magnificent Chigi who was a Renaissance patron of the arts. Pope Julius II added the Della Rovere to the Chigi name. Chigi, the richest man in Rome, commissioned Raphael among others. His imposing Palazzo Chigi was remodelled in the 17th century, and it was here, and in a castle south-east of the city, that Prince Mario and his princess lived. The princess also spent time in New York, buying contemporary art and partying at Studio 54. Back from the US she mixed old and new with a light touch. She was particularly interested in decorative Art Nouveau glass, especially by pioneers Emile Gallé and Antonin Daum. There are more than 80 pieces in the sale, many using the luminous carved-cameo technique. This sale is a real treasure trove for collectors. The couple bought unusual items with charm and style, such as lot 2, an 18thcentury verre églomisé barometer, the glass reverse-painted for a lustrous effect, estimate 1,000-1,500; a gorgeous part-set of gilded bronze dessert ware, lot 32, which would titivate the most tired trifle ( 700-1,000), and a gorgeously gilded pair of Mecca 1820 armchairs (lot 77, 1,200-1,800). As well as all the collectable vases there s a sweet, lily pad-shaped videpoche, or coin tray, from 1920, decorated with nasturtiums, in glass-paste, lot 94 ( 1,000-1,500). So if you now fancy a Roman holiday, pack your set of four monogrammed Louis Vuitton suitcases (lot 125, 1,000-1,500) and flit south. Lot 125: four soft-sided Louis Vuitton monogrammed suitcases, estimate 1,000-1,500 A NOBLE BREED THE auction doesn t stop with the princess s prizes. Lots are the possessions of an unidentified noble Genoese family, many sourced through the respected Turin antiques dealer, Pietro Ascorsi. Serious Italian 18th-century rococo furniture abounds, in beautiful fruit woods such as tulip and amaranth, inlaid or with marquetry, with a very French feel and weighty price tags. There are also gilded mirrors, chandeliers and firedogs. To light up the furniture there is a beautiful polychrome Murano chandelier lot 227. While it s not a snip at 4,000-6,000, it is certainly a jewel. But quirkier and cuter is a lamp made in Turin that is the genuine 18th-century forerunner to greenshaded library desk lamps. In 70oz of solid silver with an aquamarine glass disc to shield the weary worker s eyes, this rare thing, lot 217, is estimated to fetch 3,000-4,000. Lot 219 is similar, but Genoese. There are good buys among the grandeur. Lot 189 is a green-and-white and parcel-gilt 18th-century sofa with modern striped silk, for a fair 2,000- Clockwise from far left: Lot 217: Italian silver library lamp by Antonio Magrino, 1775, wired for electricity, 70oz ( 3,000-4,000) Lot 2: Charles X verre églomisé barometer ( 1,000-1,500) Lot 227: Italian Murano chandelier, late 19th century ( 4,000-6,000) Lot 111: a Gallé cameo glass vase c1910 (right, 800-1,200) with two more Lot 116: one of two Erté c1925 costume designs for Hollywood ( 1,500-2,500 for the pair) Lot 77: a pair of Italian Mecca chairs, gilt-varnished and silvered, in Fortuny fabric, with swan arms ( 1,200-1,800) 3,000. There s also a useful extending dining table from the Seventies or later, at 600-1,000 (lot 241). Finally, for that palazzo look, as part of a four-lot bedroom set, what about a romantic late 18th-century bed canopy in blue and gilt, upholstered in yellow silk, for (lot 246). With that above your head, who needs a coronet? Sale of the collections of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere and a noble Genoese family, February 4, Christie s South Kensington. Visit Christies.com This Weekend Only NOW 2395

13 EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY Design Homes & Property THE sweet face of a 19th-century opera singer was the obsession of Milanese artist Piero Fornasetti. By the time he died in 1988, he had drawn more than 350 versions of soprano Lina Cavalieri and put them on to hundreds of products in a collection he called Tema e Variazioni Theme and Variation. Now his son, Barnaba, has an atelier in Milan where craftsmen add Piero s imagery to china, furniture, glass and more. This is the Fornasetti Viso wall clock, 30cm in diameter, with glass face and black hands. Price is 240 from a wide selection of Fornasetti s surreal designs at Milk Concept Boutique, Shoreditch High Street, E1 (milkconceptboutique.com; ). 2 MAKE a whimsical cornice with this new wallpaper border called Paddy & Louis. They re the designer s two cats cavorting up high on a Design tre simply bizarre Escape from dark January days into fantasy furnishings, where imagination, fable and art collide, says Barbara Chandler printed border, with a little mouse making its escape to one side. Rolls with three repeats of the design measure 7m long by 34cm and cost 72. From Cole & Son at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, SW10 ( ). Or call customer service on (coleand-son.com). 3 NEATLY dressed in formal shirt and tie is Ron the Koala, as imagined by Jamie Mitchelle who cofounded the Ohh Deer illustrators co-operative to create amusing quirky gifts and accessories by talented artists. This cushion, one of several with humorous images, costs and measures 43cm square. It s printed on washable faux suede, with fibre insert. From ohhdeer. com ( ). 4 FRENCH brand Ibride has a cult following for its surreal imagery of aristocratic animals printed on to wooden laminate trays, with new editions every season. Collectors hang them on the wall, as shown. The large rectangular rabbit tray measures 65cm x 47cm and costs 120. The smaller Lion tray measures 54cm x 51cm and costs 85. Available from Liberty, W1, or call Pad Home on for more stockists (padhome.co.uk) DUTCH interior designer Piet Hein Eek puts fragmented images of masterpieces from the Rijksmuseum 5 6 in Amsterdam on to furniture, using a new technology for printing on wood. These stools arrive packed flat, with three slot-together tapered legs. They cost 169 each at shop.padhome.co. uk. Call for further stockists. 6 In a Nottingham workshop, designer Philip Watts casts metal into fanciful, dramatic largescale door handles such as this striking Eagle Wing, which is 100cm long. It costs 834 in aluminium, 1,490 in brass or bronze, and 1,528 in aged brass or bronze. Other designs include a Dali-esque pair of lips, a skull, woodland twigs and a somewhat sinister-looking gun. Call or visit philipwattsdesign.com

14 22 WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2015 EVENING STANDARD Homes & Property Interiors Brothers and neighbours in design In a family of architects and designers, it s no surprise that Richard and Antony Joseph have created a cutting-edge kitchenware company. Dominic Bradbury visits their homes Photographs: Lucas Allen At home in Wandsworth: Richard Joseph and his girlfriend Hannah Jefferson at their front door Close at hand: Richard s twin, Antony, with wife Amelia and children Isla and Arthur, live just a dozen doors away TWINS Richard and Antony Joseph come from a large family of creative thinkers. Along with their mother and father, all six Joseph children are either architects or designers. Richard and Antony are particularly close, having grown up together and then co-founded their kitchenware brand, Joseph Joseph. They now live a dozen or so houses apart on the same street in Wandsworth, south London. Since they founded Joseph Joseph in 2003, the company best known for innovative and colourful kitchen products, from waste separating bins to dish drainers has grown fast. Their collection is sold in Selfridges and John Lewis, and in more than 100 countries. Their Southwark design studio employs 40, with a similar number working in satellite offices in Paris and New York. The brothers grew up in Birmingham, where their mother works as an architect and their father is a designermaker. Richard studied industrial design at Loughborough University and worked for Dyson, while Antony went to Central Saint Martins, studying product design. Their father, Michael, gave them 10,000-worth of glass chopping boards made by his own factory and told the twins any profit they made selling them could help them start a business of their own. Now up and running, the sleek Joseph Joseph kitchen bin called Totem, in which different kinds of home rubbish can be separated for recycling, has become a best seller. The brothers draw inspiration not just from the world of industrial design but also from architecture, art and interiors. They use their own products at home, testing them daily, and share an interest in mid-century and modern furniture. Both brothers settled in Wandsworth and it was Antony who first came across a house in a Victorian street that had been converted into bedsits and was ripe for reinvention as a family home. But the project looked a little too daunting for him and his wife, Amelia, as they were expecting their first child. So it was Richard who took it on with the help of his girlfriend, Hannah Jefferson, a lawyer, and their architect Daniel Adeshile. RICHARD ended up rebuilding the entire house with the exception of the façade to the street. Most dramatic of all is the kitchen and doubleheight dining space at the back of the building, where 20ft-high glass doors slide back to link with the rear garden. The only company that could make them that high with the thin frames was in Portugal. There was this big hole at the back of the house for three months waiting for the windows to arrive, and then we had to close the road and crane them in. It was a bit of a nightmare. Antony and Amelia who worked in the fashion accessories department for Patrick Cox and Alexander McQueen ended up buying a similar terrace house just along the street, shared with their children Isla, five, and Arthur, THE VIEW IS EVER CHANGING

15 EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY Interiors Homes & Property Simple elegance: the rolltop tub in Richard s bathroom is from CP Hart Antony and Amelia s room: painted in Mole s Breath grey by Farrow & Ball three. They lived there for a year, then with help from the same architect, the back of the house came off and was replaced with a large kitchen extension that has the feel of an urban loft, again with a strong sense of connection to the garden. Richard and I both like mid-century Mid-century modern pieces: Eames chairs round the Staffan Tollgard table in Antony s oak-floored kitchen/dining area, left modern pieces that work well with the backdrop we have, but my house does feel a bit more lived-in it is very much a family house, says Antony. The biggest problem was finding a pillar to support the new extension. We must have looked at 300 salvage pillars before we found the right one. Read the full version of this article in the March issue of House & Garden, on sale from Friday Spectacular: Richard slides back his kitchen doors leading out to the garden patio

16 28 WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2015 EVENING STANDARD Homes & Property Our home A winning formula Their savings had to go a long way but this couple got plenty of space, light and storage for their money, says Philippa Stockley homesandproperty MOST Londoners juggle work and tight budgets but if you have children, making major changes to your home gets pushed even further down the list. Busy couple Rosa Moratiel, 47, and her husband, John Cryer, 41, who both work in the film industry, saved for years before finally making dramatic and much-needed changes to the house they d bought. We met 20 years ago in Maidstone working for a new satellite channel, says John. I fell in love at first sight. Rosa arrived in England from Spain at the age of one and grew up in Wood Green not the loveliest part of London she says but took the bus to school through Muswell Hill, and thought it was beautiful. Eventually she bought a flat in the area and after courting for years, the couple moved in there. But when Ines, now nine, was born, they decided it was time to find a house locally. It s easier to move with one child than two, Rosa says, and I was still on maternity leave, so it was a good time to look. They viewed the split-level house on a blisteringly hot day in early September 2006, exchanged in October, and moved in just before Ines s first birthday. Ruben, now six, was born three years later. This part of north London is adored by its loyal inhabitants, who often stay for decades or even generations. While Rosa didn t love the house they chose, she was smitten by the street and the neighbourhood. The street was wide and quiet, and has a street party every year. The neighbours know each other and look out for each other s children, she says. John and Rosa s house was built in 1910, yet amazingly they are only its third owners. They bought it from the daughter of the original owners when she decided to move to the country. Its tired décor was peach and wood chip throughout. Rosa and John did necessary wiring, DIY and painting, and knocked a bathroom and loo into one, but otherwise, as money was tight, things stayed how they were. And things were dark. The brick terrace home has charming features, including encaustic Edwardian hall tiles and some original stained glass. However, the ground floor was divided into four small rooms in a line running frontto-back down the side of a long hall. This meant that while the front sitting room and also the back living room, which looked out on to the garden, were lovely and light, the two middle rooms were incredibly dark and one of them was the kitchen. Moreover, the floor of the front sitting room was a metre higher than the next room. Both Rosa and John always hated the dark old galley kitchen where they had to spend so much time making food and clearing up. We d be in there for two hours but the children would just zip in, and out to the garden so we hardly saw them, says Rosa. The final straw came in The winter was killing us and then the heating broke down. SO THAT was the year the pair set the ball rolling. Their neighbours had had their attic done by architects Zminkowska De Boise. It was quirky, and reflected their character, says John. The architects, Hanna and Richard, thought out of the box. So the architects came round, and the four hit it off at once. Rosa and John wanted a big kitchendiner where the family could connect with each other. The architects gave them three options, but even though Rosa wasn t sure at first about opening everything up, they went for a plan with zones in it. To unify the space they ran parquet throughout, which worked out cheaper than engineered boards, says John. Where the level dropped, the architects solved it with bookcase stairs, which are both attractive and practical. Another clever idea was putting shelving with bespoke concertina fronts either side of the fireplace in the old dining room, now the study area. These hide not only tons of storage, but the boiler too, while below there s a snug that the children love, with their own storage bench. A built-in desk opposite is useful for all the family. The kitchen-diner area is a huge success. It has a glossy white island kitchen from Wickes, with grey quartz tops, with a family-size table near the French windows, and where there was once a dingy side window peering on to the side return, there s now a full-height, opaque picture window. So light comes in from three sides and the family spend most of their time in this bright space, where it is easy now to move around. Like all working mums I spend a lot The money House bought in 2006 for 670,000 Money spent: 80,000 Estimated value now: 1.3 million Get this look Architects: Hanna and Richard at Zminkowska De Boise (zdbarchitects. com Builder and joiner: Irek Maduzia ( ) Parquet flooring: stained by the contractor, from Havwoods (havwoods. co.uk) Handleless white gloss kitchen units: from wickes.co.uk Ceniza Compac quartz worksurfaces: installed by Blue Pearl Granite (bluepearl-granite.com) Concert P1 lamp (over kitchen table): designed by Jørn Utzon from suppliers including hauslondon.com for (Prices may vary) Clara O Neill Spine pendant lamp in living area: 250 from johnlewis.com Juggling act: far left, John Cryer with Rosa, Ruben and Ines. A makeover of their Muswell Hill home, left, means Rosa can now do three things at once while also keeping an eye on the children. Rosa and John s house won second place in the interior design category of New London Architecture s Don t Move, Improve! awards (newlondon architecture.org)

17 EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY co.uk with Our home Homes & Property Transformation: a glossy white kitchen-diner with a useful island, right, replaced the gloomy old galley kitchen which was heartily disliked by parents and children alike Photographs:: David Butler Period meets contemporary: the back of the 1910 house in Muswell Hill, right, with characterful doors leading out to raised decking and patio seating of time doing three things at once, says Rosa. But now I can also keep an eye on the children at the same time. We re just a normal working family Bright idea: Ines and Ruben on the attractive, practical bookcase stairs trying to keep all the balls in the air. This has really improved life for all of us. It makes us much more cheerful, and it makes everything more fun. Homework no excuses: a study desk sits in a cheerful, well-lit, child-friendly corner, far right

18 32 WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2015 EVENING STANDARD Homes & Property Reader promotion Bring summer into your home with bespoke wall art SURFACE VIEW is offering readers up to 50 per cent off until the end of its new year sale on February 2. For this week only, Homes and Property readers receive an extra 10 per cent discount, simply by using the code HAPPYNEWHOME at the checkout. The company creates bespoke wall art and interior décor products inspired by designs in its extensive image collections. Pictured is a retro framed print, and there are many more options to admire at surfaceview.co.uk. Order online or call before February 2 to take advantage of your additional 10 per cent reduction. Delivery is free on orders over 150. Alison Cork Space Invaders rug will floor em THE fun and funky Space Invaders rug from I Love Retro is reduced by 30 per cent, down from 109 to including free UK delivery. Additionally, readers benefit from a 10 per cent discount across I Love Retro s full range of homeware and gifts by using code LES10. This colourful rug measures 120cm by 160cm. To claim your 30 per cent discount, visit iloveretro.co.uk or call and use code RUG30 before February 10. Limited stock. Bargain news The companies listed here are wholly independent of the Evening Standard. Care is taken to establish that they are bona fide but we recommend that you carry out your own checks prior to purchases and use a credit card where possible. To offer feedback on any of these companies, homesand property@ standard.co.uk with Bargain News in the subject line. For more bargains, visit alisonathome. com or homesand property.co.uk/ offers. Pay less for wireless Bluetooth speaker Get a no-fuss kitchen facelift GIVE your kitchen a new look with the Kitchen Restoration Company, offering readers free fitting on orders placed before February 25. The service includes bespoke manufacture and fitting, replacing doors and worktops and changing sink, taps and appliances if required. For a free brochure or no-obligation quote call or visit kitchen-restoration.com and use code 28/01/ES/ BH before February 25. Chic table is a winter sale snip TREAT yourself to an Alison at Home winter sale bargain, with discounts of up to 70 per cent and free delivery on orders over 400. Look out for dining ware and side tables, including the chic Lyon coffee table in grey wash finish, above. Hand-carved in India, it s down from 295 to just 190 including discount. See the full range at alisonathome.com/ clearance. Order online or call while stocks last. Available for immediate dispatch. THE Philips wireless Bluetooth speaker is currently reduced from to only at One Regent Place. It features bass reflex speakers that deliver a powerful, deeper bass, with versatile AC power and AA battery options to ensure easy playback. Allowing you to play your favourite music from any smartphone, tablet or laptop, Bluetooth technology provides easy wireless connection that s both stable and energy efficient. Order at oneregentplace.co.uk before February 2. While stocks last.

19 EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY Outdoors Homes & Property Grow all you can eat in a few square feet Harvest food galore from a tiny city plot with creative planting Pattie Barron YOU need to be inventive to grow edibles in the city. This is the message from urban gardener Naomi Schillinger, who makes the most of her small Finsbury Park plot by creating herb planters from wooden pallets, using cycle wheels as a trellis for cucumber vines and hanging up kitchen colanders to grow strawberries on high. She has packed her ideas into a book, Grow All You Can Eat In Three Square Feet (DK, 14.99), which proves conclusively that you don t need an allotment or kitchen garden to produce a bumper harvest. A dim stairwell can be painted white to reflect light and shelves fixed on walls to hold a series of window box planters. A pair of sturdy stepladders will give you double the display space and ensure every potted plant gets its share of light. Balcony railings can be put to good use by attaching long lengths of plastic guttering to hold quick crops of salad leaves, radishes and dwarf peas. The enterprising Schillinger makes planter saddlebags from heavy-duty black fabric so she can grow trailing tomatoes on both sides of her balcony. Clockwise from left: containers grouped on display shelves or stepladders make the most of vertical space; old cycle wheels form an inventive trellis; a wooden pallet, with a few tweaks, holds several layers of crops CREATE CROP CIRCLES Raised beds are her response to utilising any spare patch of concrete or paved ground, and they can be decorative, too. She suggests making crop circles by sowing rings of mixed salad leaves and edible flowers such as violas, and planting tumbling tomatoes to fill in the four corners. Raised beds have many advantages plants are easy to access and to protect from pests or frost, they warm up faster in spring so you have a longer growing season, and they provide ideal growing conditions, because you can create the dream compost mix. Schillinger s is 45 per cent topsoil, 45 per cent peat-free compost and 10 per cent coarse grit. You don t have to buy special kits, either. She suggests knocking a raised bed together from old bricks, metal sheets or scaffolding boards call them fashionably distressed. Copper tape wrapped around the edges will also deter slugs and snails. Just be sure that the beds are deep enough six inches for shallow-rooters such as lettuce and radish, at least a foot for deep-rooted courgettes and beetroot as well as potatoes and that water can drain away from the base. A small terracotta pot will show off a pepper plant a treat, but if you want decent crops from containers, consider buying a series of deep, stackable rubber trugs in different sizes and an array of bright colours that will give you an instant portable veg patch and allow you to use every corner of floor space. Visit tubtrugs.com. The largest size, 75 litres, is ideal for growing From far left: saddlebags made from sturdy fabric can be hung over both sides of railings; herbs thrive in hanging baskets, relishing the free-draining compost; reclaimed oil drums, stacked together, provide the perfect place for growing herbs, chillies and tomatoes potatoes, sowing a carrot harvest or training runner beans up a wigwam. Where else would you grow corn on the cob but in a corn oil drum? Sweetcorn plants need to be grown in a block, not a row, for good pollination, so a large drum is ideal. They grow slowly, so Schillinger suggests sowing or planting fast crops of salad leaves, parsley or beetroot in between, to use every scrap of space. SHADE-LOVING BERRIES Most edibles thrive in warm, sunny conditions, notably tomatoes. No sunlight? No problem. You can still grow three staples: peas, runner beans and spinach, points out Schillinger. Leafy crops tend to wilt and wither in hot, bright positions, preferring cool shade, so you could also grow Swiss chard, the wide range of mustard leaves, lettuces, rocket and sorrel, which once sown, will forever flourish, adding a luscious lemony tang to soups and salads. Shady sites also produce the best berries, including small, flavourful Alpine strawberries which will self-seed along paths and in gravel and easygrowing, heavy-cropping autumn raspberries. Your deliciously rewarding growing year starts here.

20 REX 36 WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2015 EVENING STANDARD Homes & Property Property searching Star link: David Bowie lived in Beckenham and started a folk club at the Three Tuns pub, where a restaurant now stands NOW a densely populated suburb, Beckenham in south-east London is a far cry from the quiet Kent village of the 19th century. With it s busy high street, good local schools and fantastic transport links it lies just eight miles from central London there is much for Beckenham to celebrate, including local heroes Enid Blyton and David Bowie. Prolific children s author Blyton, creator of Noddy, The Famous Five and Malory Towers, spent her early life in Beckenham, and while Bowie was born in Brixton, Beckenham has better reason to claim him as its own. Between 1969 and 1973, the pop icon lived in Foxgrove Road and then Southend Road, and started a folk club at the Three Tuns pub in the high street that became the Beckenham Arts Lab. Today, a Zizzi restaurant occupies the site but the Bowie magic is being hitched to an annual free festival at Croydon Road Recreation Ground in the town centre, with profits going towards the restoration of the fine Victorian bandstand where Bowie performed in 1969 on the same day as Woodstock. Blyton, whose books have been world bestsellers since the Thirties, arrived in Beckenham aged three months and lived at seven separate local addresses, the first of which was in Chaffinch Road, where the Enid Blyton Society has erected a blue plaque. She went to nursery school in Cedars Road and on to a small private school, St Christopher s, which still exists. She was head girl there in Blyton s life was disrupted at age 13 when her muchloved father ran off with another woman but the family remained in the area, and as a young married woman, the writer returned from living in Chelsea to set up home in Elfin Cottage, Shortlands Road. Blyton went on to live in Beaconsfield, in a house called Green Hedges, from 1938 until shortly before her death in WHAT S THE ATTRACTION? Beckenham offers a diverse range of architecture and homes, including a large stock of Victorian properties of all sizes. There are both purpose-built and Victorian conversion flats, threeand four-bedroom terrace and semidetached houses, along with larger Thirties houses. Estate agent Munsoor Khan at the local branch of Alan de Maid says the area is popular with young professionals for Spotlight Beckenham Where Bowie and Blyton are local heroes Young professionals and families love the cool shops, cocktails, village vibe and great schools just a hop from the City, says Anthea Masey its excellent transport links to the City, and with families looking for good schools. Recently we have seen a large influx of buyers from Dulwich, Forest Hill and the surrounding areas looking for Victorian family homes. Up and coming: Khan tips Elmers End where there are smaller, more affordable houses. The area is seeing a transformation with several smart restaurants, while some run-down shops are being turned into homes. SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS Busy Beckenham High Street snakes through the town and ends up by St George s Church with its ancient lych gate. There are branches of Lidl, Sainsbury s, Waitrose and M&S Simply Food. Villagers Fine Sausages sells specialist sausages and other meats, while the fishmonger is called Pearl Fisheries. Jumping Bean is good for gifts, Gallery Seventeen sells limited-edition Quentin Blake prints and there is a thriving independent bookshop. Opposite the church, a row of independent coffee shops includes Deli Nene, Fee & Brown and Em and Lou s Kitchen. Branching Out in Croydon Road is a florist and gift shop with a café that s popular with young mothers. Friends of Mine is good for cocktails and serves Sicilian tapas. La Rascasse is a modern French bar and restaurant, with the emphasis on fish. The Jolly Woodman in Chancery Lane has the kind of atmosphere you d find in a country pub. LEISURE AND THE ARTS There s a six-screen Odeon multiplex cinema in Beckenham High Street. Beckenham Theatre Centre in Bromley Road is one of the UK s smallest theatres, with 47 seats and a busy amateur programme. The Beckenham Festival, held each November, is a leading competitive performing arts event. Club Langley in Hawksbrook Road is a sports club with football pitches, bowls, indoor archery, pool and darts, and a remote control car racing track. Breeze Yoga in Albemarle Road offers yoga, Pilates and meditation classes in a modern studio. The David Lloyd club in Stanhope Grove has a swimming pool, and there are two at councilowned The Spa at Beckenham, in Beckenham Road. Travel: eight train stations serve the area Beckenham Junction, Beckenham Hill, New Beckenham, Clock Grade II-listed: 18th-century Beckenham Place mansion is now a golf clubhouse Photographs:: Graham Hussey ENDS SATURDAY SHOWROOMS Battersea T Islington T Surrey T (featuring the Outlet) SURFACETILES.COM UP TO 30% OFF Historic: St George s Church has a 13th-century lych gate HAVE YOUR SAY Kelsey Park is the gem in Beckenham. Great lake, children s play area & crazy new independent serves a great pint & amazing gut-busting authentic with traditional wood fired Kelsey Park #Beckenham is ideal for a brisk walk with friends on winter big paddling pool in #Beckenham Recreation Park very popular spot with parents with this café/florist is ALWAYS packed with & the town features in three a visit is a must for super food and drink with a great you can t without visiting the true coffee (it NEXT WEEK: Bushey. Do you live there? Tell us what you